Trapping Knight with a Queen
by ldydeb
Summary: After rescuing a Woman in the rain, Knight finds he is forced to play a deadly game. The Woman he rescued The Queen used to Trap him. The Prize! KITT.
1. Default Chapter

Knight Rider 2010

Trapping Knight With A Queen

Written by  
Ldydeb

Wednesday. Hump Day. Restaurants and bars full of people celebrating the coming holiday weekend even though the ugly grayish-black clouds ambushed the sun – advancing the thunderstorms that approached from the chilly northwest. The innocent bystanders of this nature's battle tried to escape the streets of Los Angeles, ducking in and out of doorways, before the light summer sprinkle changed to a waterfall-like downpour. Inside KITT, Michael Knight sat comfortably dry, amused by the irritated confusion around him, his hands keeping time with the rhythm of the song on the radio. The day was his…rare time away from chasing the scum of the earth, from the tension of having his life constantly in jeopardy. He planned to enjoy as much as of it as he could, the thought of the bitter-sweet richness of a cold caramel foam bubbling out of the depths of a black-brewed Guinness already teasing and tantalizing his throat. He had spent the morning catching up on some much needed sleep, ignoring any attempts Devon or Bonnie made on the comp-link to get his attention. It was bad enough that he rolled over after making love to the beautiful woman in his dreams only to find himself alone – the bedding on the left side of his pillow still neat and unwrinkled – empty. _There has to be more to my life!_ He complained to no one before getting out of bed. It had taken all his energy to cinch the strap of his link to KITT around his wrist. Out of boredom, he escaped his apartment on the grounds of the Foundation for Law and Government to a nearby fitness club where he earned his current appetite on the weight machines and the running track. He programmed KITT with the route to one of his favorite restaurants, where they were now headed. The memory of the menu in his head, he decided that a nice plump, juicy-red NY Strip with all the trimmings would be a great way to wait out the storm. Unless, of course, the restaurant's daily special appealed better to his appetite.

As was their usual practice, Michael maneuvered KITT into the restaurant's main entrance under a large red and white checked canopy. Slipping into a dark brown sport jacket, He waived off the approaching valet as an outlandishly expensive foreign sports car screeched to a halt. KITT pulled away – narrowly getting hit - to find a safe, out of the way parking space. Michael greeted the hostess at the podium outside the entrance with his reservation. While he waited for her to check on the status, his dark blue eyes caught notice of the valet approaching the sport car's passenger door as it opened. A very delicate bracelet-wearing, feminine hand reached out for assistance. The voice of the driver was easily heard commanding, "Wait for me. I'll take care of you". The driver emerged from the vehicle, again hissing the command, "I said wait for me!" and the keys to the car flew through the air interrupting the valet's motions so that he could catch them. The driver's attitude and stride around the front of the car to the curb announced his arrogance, his self-importance. This wolfish rake smoothed down the sides of his very black, fine linen dinner jacket, making sure his appearance was impeccable, aware his chiseled looks attracted the attention of both women and men. His smile was not one of welcoming and warmth; it only invited people to appreciate his command of his surroundings and good looks. His eyes scanned the entire area. His alert stance, the power in his walk, the strength in his build, and his constant precautionary attention to his surroundings instantly conveyed prior military experience to Michael. This was not a person to mess with and those around him rushed to make sure he remained happy. Michael heard his patronizing instructions to the valet on how to treat and park his car. Finally the man reached his muscular, finely manicured paw down to take the hand of his companion; her deep orange kitten-heeled foot stepping to the ground at the same time. The man noticed and said, sounding like he was trying to whisper but knowing full well he was not, "I thought I sent you a pair of stilettos to wear with this? These do not match your dress. Sometimes I think you try to embarrass me on purpose."

Now Michael, like the other restaurant patrons who'd overheard the conversation, waited to see what the gentleman was complaining about. Michael, however, thought the man showed bad manners in talking so rudely to his companion. Then the woman's head finally rose out of the passenger seat, the remainder of her firm, curvy form meeting her companion on the curb. Michael drew in a long breath. He adjusted his clothing, his shoulders moving to bring in some cool air – his clothes a little too tight due to the warmth of the afternoon. Michael wanted to turn away, but was as captivated as those around him. His ears caught the few soft whistles of appreciation from men and under-the-breath compliments from the women floating through the air. Many were bewildered by the man's disparaging remarks when in reality she was flawless, beautiful. The sleeves of her dress were thin bands that rested over her shoulders and helped to form a low, round neckline that framed a gold chain of sparsely placed deep purple amethysts and orange topazes laid comfortably, yet demurely over her sun-bronzed, full breasts. Her shoulders would have been bare if not for the light, soft and pale yellow sweater draped over them. The bodice of the dress was fashioned in the 1920's flapper style with a drop waist that banded in small dark copper lacy-ribbon trim that rested around her hips. The material of the dress was in two layers. The top layer - soft, filmy transparent silks in multi-shades of orange, purples, greens, and yellows. The skirt of these layers was cut handkerchief style floating in triangles around her knees. The dark orange under-layer made of soft, crinkled satin ended about mid-thigh. It could have been considered a too-short mini skirt if not for the longer layers of silk over the top. To compliment the neckline, the woman wore her thick sun-kissed dark-golden-brown-red hair in a pile of curls pulled Grecian-style to the back and top of her head. The curls wildly cascaded around her neck and down her shoulders in loose ringlets. Her shoes matched exactly, yet she very quietly responded, "I'm sorry. The strap broke as I was putting them on." Her walk up the slightly rising carpeted pavement revealed and hid skin with each step, inspiring many of the men around her to shift uncomfortably. Michael's own thoughts appreciated her unconsciously provocative, yet not-vulgar movements until he noticed no smile, no enjoyment of the situation in her subtly cosmetic-covered, deep jade-green eyes, which evaded her companion and instead looked down in submission. Maybe it was because of his training, but Michael continued to overhear the couple's interaction, though most of their other "audience" had returned to their own conversation while waiting for their reservations to be called.

The man nudged her downcast face and offered, "Oh, what am I going to do with you, dear. Just another sign of how much you need me. Now please don't spoil this and let's go have fun. We'll talk about the other matter later." The two exchanged looks…the man's one of warning, the woman's one of embarrassed fear. She released a sigh and nodded, a very small smile to appease him forming on only her lips. The woman appeared fragile next to the size and build of her companion. Though she was not short, he towered over her and enjoyed being able to do so. The man took possession of the back of the woman's waist, the message of who was in charge and whom she belonged to broadcast to all witnessing their exchange. He guided her towards where Michael waited. The man said something in the woman's ear. She looked from her friend to Michael and then it seemed as if she did not want to comply with whatever the man asked of her. After a few seconds and more words between them, the woman walked behind her companion, shoving her purse in the crook under her arm, and assisted him in making his dark blond ponytail neater. She smoothed it to rest at the back of the neck of his jacket, the action evidence of their intimacy with each other. While she worked, Michael could have sworn her eyes began studying him but her gaze also scanned her "audience" and he realized she was humiliated, agitated. When her task was complete, the man held out his arm in expectation of the woman obediently coming to stand by his side, his lips delicately brushing her cheek, nuzzling against her ear in an appearance of affection. The knowledge that he made her uncomfortable and helpless to stop him twinkled in his cruel eyes. Her face showed very little reaction or emotion except for the continued slight evidence of resignation and embarrassment. She seemed to know that she was dressed to be paraded. Michael and the others forced to watch.

The couple approached the maitre d, while Michael entered the restaurant at the bidding of his hostess. As Michael passed the maître d's podium, this beautiful woman lost her balance. Her hand reached out in panic; Michael automatically taking hold as his other hand instinctively embraced her elbow to steady her before she fell over his foot. Her free hand grabbed onto the podium as she fought to maintain her composure and remain on her feet. Her eyes turned a curious glance to her rescuer. She let go as quickly as Michael caught her and looked back at her companion as he pulled her away. The dirty look shot at Michael clearly shouted _Mine!_ To avoid more problems, the woman decided it was better to dismiss Michael from her attentions though she seemed to want to say something to him. Both the approaching hostess and her companion's hold on her wrist prevented it. Michael felt watched as he continued along the path into the restaurant, listening to the man warn his companion to be careful and her voice again apologizing to him for his uncaring rudeness.

Grateful not have to continue witnessing the spectacle, Michael followed one of the hostesses to an empty booth, which was surrounded on three sides by floral patterned screens to offer privacy. It was located near one of the restaurant's cozy open-hearth fireplaces. As they walked the smell of the fire tried to fill the room with cheerful spirits despite the approaching storms. But Michael only felt uncomfortably warm, the scent of exotic cinnamon and spicy ginger bounced off the hand that had caught her tender wrist and lingered around him. He quickly escaped the stifling feeling of his jacket, setting it neatly on the booth's seat. He made himself comfortable as the hostess handed him the menu, "Welcome to Private Kisses, Mr. Knight. Your attendant will be with you soon." Before the hostess departed, Michael requested her to send over a tall, ice-cold Guinness.

After informing Michael's table-server of his drink order, the hostess returned to the entrance, opening the door for one of the restaurant's male hosts who lead the sports car man inside. The man scanned the restaurant, again desiring all to notice him, his companion following meekly behind. The man reached for the host's shoulder, spoke a few words to him, their hands coming together with the added exchange of promising smiles and a token of appreciation. The host nodded and instructed, "Please follow me". The man stood aside, slightly bowed like a gentleman and motioned for the beautiful woman to walk ahead. She suddenly became very self-conscience and timid, balking at her companion's offer. The Host repeated, "This way, Please." With eye lids a bit lowered and a hope of not calling any more attention to herself, the woman faltered in her delicate steps along the path the host lead her with her companion stalking very close behind. The path led to a booth not far behind Michael's. The woman's stressed and exasperated voice reached Michael's attention, "Damn!" when as she passed, her purse dropped from the crook of her arm. Michael followed her eyes as she quickly scanned the area around her to the spot where the purse had landed…under Michael's table. Though she had hoped no one, especially Michael, was paying attention to her and her predicament, the woman gently left the imprint of her hand on Michael's shoulder, voice surrendering her previous wish of anonymity, "Sir…umm…I beg your pardon?" Her eyes rolled in frustration as she precariously lowered herself to sway on her heels to retrieve her purse, her hand moving from his shoulder to hold on to the edge of the table. Wanting to help, Michael reached down for the item also and they collided into each other. Michael was forced to again catch the woman as she lost her balance and almost landed in his lap. The purse fell back to the ground. Her face turning several shades of pink, the woman returned to crouching on her knees to regain her balance, one hand holding onto the table the other hand gingerly rubbing her head. With embarrassment and a hint of irritation, she murmured, "I am so sorry."

To ease the situation, Michael grinned in amusement and offered, "Here." He reached down again under his table, found, and returned the purse to her while inquiring, "Are you all right?"

Grinning blue eyes met mortified green as the woman tentatively reclaimed her purse with a grateful response, "I'm fine, thank you. I am so sorry…I don't kno…."

"Please don't apologize," Michael laughed, "I rather enjoy bumping into beautiful women. I hope you enjoy your dinner."

Finally her eyes flashed a real smile as the woman shyly giggled at Michael's attempt to flatter and ease her embarrassment. "Thank you." Michael extended his hand to help her rise until she was yanked up via her forearm and elbow by her friend semi-roughly guiding her to continue following the host the last few steps to another semi-private booth within eyesight of Michael's. The gentleman glared at Michael, his hand again taking possession of the woman's waist.

Before the host left, the man, with irritation heavy in his voice, ordered, "I need a vodka martini, very dry, no olives."

The host responded, "and for you, Ma'am"

Before she could respond, the man answered, "The lady (sounding like he meant "slut") will have white wine." His tone again warned her not to contest his decision.

The moment the host had given them their menus and left them alone, the gentleman pounced, "What is your problem tonight, are you trying to ruin our evening together? First you refuse to wear the gift I bought especially for tonight. Then you flirt with a man in front of me. I thought we were here to make things better."

Quietly Selena defended, her face becoming pink again, "And I thought you promised it would not be like this, that you wouldn't embarrass me again. You never said this would be…." Her companion cut her off with his eyes before she could finish. She got the message, but stubbornly asserted, "Well, I was not flirting? My purse fell and I bumped my head while trying to pick it up. You saw what happened."

He looked over his menu and countered, "Yes, you dropped your purse, but what about outside? You drew the attention of every man here, then when you found the one you wanted, you…you got his attention by stumbling over him. So forgive me if I don't believe your dropping your purse was an accident."

The woman whispered, "Patrick, please don't do this. Not here, not now. Don't let…I was not flirting I swear. I don't know what happened outside and my purse did slip. Please, you promised!"

"Selena, why did you bother to take time to smile and talk? And you giggled! I heard you. The smart response over such an embarrassing moment would have been to let the host retrieve your purse, not to throw yourself into a man's lap and then make conversation."

Michael couldn't help but listen to the woman he now knew was named Selena try to defend herself, explaining that she was only being polite; the man at the table was being a gentleman. Their heated discussion lost steam when the server came to take their order. Michael hoped Selena's friend would drop the matter before he caused a scene. The screens surrounding the booths only offered a limited amount of privacy. Michael and a few other patrons from nearby tables witnessed the man called Patrick lay his hand over Selena's as he addressed the server to order from the menu for both of them, without ever asking Selena what she preferred.

Soon after the attendant left, the argument resumes. "You were flirting with him, Selena, even though I do all these things to try to make you happy. I thought we were here to make up, but you insist on making me upset. We both know you don't want me to get upset." Michael felt uncomfortable enough being able to overhear them, but he had to take several deep breaths when the man refused to let go of the woman's wrist, his hand twisting slightly - beginning to let her know just how he felt about the situation.

To Michael's part relief and slight annoyance Selena remained calm and pleaded in soft tones, "Patrick, please let it go. No matter what I say, I'm wrong. I am sorry for upsetting you. People are beginning to stare at us. You wanted to come here, so please let's just eat and get this over with."

From the booth behind, Michael gave up trying not to overhear any more of their argument. He was concerned for the woman being harassed by an obviously over jealous and controlling boyfriend. He felt a little responsible for her and tried not to eavesdrop anymore as they continued to quietly argue. Their voices broke off their duel upon the arrival of their liquor. From his vantage point, Michael watched soft rose lips hiding behind a sip of crystal, transparent gold liquid passing from the wine glass into her throat. The liquid exhibited a slight tremor within the glass until the stem was returned to the table. The delicate fingers of one hand squeezed tightly into her palms, flexing around the glass, before succumbing to the need for another large taste of the heddy elixier. Where the other hand rested Michael could not see. She refrained from looking anywhere but at the wine glass.

Patrick tossed his napkin to the table, drank down his martini, tossed the glass on its side next to the napkin, and scolded, "Well, my lovely Selena, you have managed to do it again. I've lost my appetite and now I want to leave." He stood, threw money on the table, and left without waiting for a stunned Selena.

Hoping to help make amends Michael stood, as Selena sighed and pulled herself out of the booth. Michael reached for her hand in assistance. He was about to speak, but Patrick marched back to get Selena. Before he could grab for Selena's hand, Michael put himself between the couple. Speaking directly to Patrick, Michael offered, "Sir, if I may, I'd like to apologize if I have caused any friction between you and your friend. Only the best of intentions were considered when I helped the lady find her purse."

Selena tried to respond, her voice reflecting her feelings of gratitude and astonishment for this stranger's generous and unexpected actions.

Patrick possessively took Selena's arm to escort her away from the table. He spoke to Michael, condescension in the tone of his voice, "Never mind, Sir, this matter is none of your affair."

Wanting to hide under a table, Selena pulled away from him. Patrick responded by again walking away leaving her to apologize. Taking a deep breath she smiled as if not upset by his actions only her eyes speaking the truth, "I am very sorry to have ruined your dinner too. I..."

Interrupting her efforts to make amends, Patrick returned commenting sarcastically, "Are you coming with me or are you going to stay and chat with this stranger." The couple's eyes met and there appeared a faint hint of fear in Selena's. He walked away angrily pulling Selena roughly and quickly alongside him. She made sure she didn't do anything else to upset him or cause attention to herself.

Sitting back into his booth, Michael shook his head in disapproval while trying to finish his dinner. He couldn't understand how such a beautiful woman could let herself be treated like that. She was obviously afraid of the man and the man took advantage. The woman's image became a snapshot in his memory. He wondered what her smile would look like, clearly seeing how her face would light up. Amused over his wild thoughts, he joked to himself, "Maybe I should have with flirted with her. Then I could save her from that idiot."

For the next half hour, Michael had a hard time trying to finish his dinner. His appetite had lessened as he thought about the fighting couple. He paid the bill and went to find KITT, who waited for him at the end of canopied walkway. As he drove KITT out of the parking lot, Michael related, "Buddy, did you catch any of that scene between that couple?" He began to tell KITT the remainder of the incident when he approached a light about three blocks from the restaurant. As he waited for the light to change to green, he saw the woman still haunting his thoughts huddled inside the doorway of a closed office building. Her efforts to pull her clinging dress away from her legs became an intense lesson in futility. Strands of her hair escaped the pins holding it up to lay in matted, saturated sections down her back. Pulling up to the curb along side her, Michael grabbed his umbrella from the seat behind and went out after her before she could run to the next shelter. Shielding her from the rain, Michael asked, "What are you doing out here? Can I give you a lift or something?"

Feeling a sense of dread about her luck, Selena recognized Michael instantly. Trying to salvage some of her dignity, she refused, "No, thank you. There should be a cab any minute."

The sky lit up with a display of lightning and the sound of thunder simultaneously with a sneeze escaping from Selena's nose. Feeling sorry for her, Michael insisted, "I'm going to give you a ride home, Lady." Ignoring her objections, Michael threw his jacket over her shoulders; gently guided her to sit inside KITT. Shivering inside Michael's jacket, Selena gazed in amazement at the instruments inside KITT. For a brief moment, she forgot being wet and cold. Her curious and fearful eyes scanned the instrument panel, the computer terminal flashing data, and buttons labeled "turbo boost", "Laser". The moment Michael entered the vehicle, she voiced her insecurity, "I don't think I should be in here. What kind of car is this?"

KITT took control of the situation and answered, "Relax, Miss. We're glad to help."

The woman bolted upright in her seat grabbing for the door handle to escape as she remarked in shock, "Oh my God, it talks!"

KITT spat indignantly, "I am not on it, Madame! I am The Knight Industries Two Thousand - a highly intelligent and sophisticated computer. You have just insulted me!"

Still unsure, the woman looked to Michael for help. Becoming referee Michael scolded, "KITT, please be nice for once. This nice lady has had enough problems for one day." Michael observed his companion's frightened eyes apprehensively scoping out KITT. He realized that he would have to do something to ease her fears and help her to feel more comfortable, "Now that you've met my friend, I am Michael Knight. And I hope I wasn't the cause of you getting stranded in the rain? Are you OK?"

Hesitantly, the woman sniffled, "And I am Selena. And I'm fine…well, I will be." With her fear easing the cold dampness of her dress increased to an uncomfortable level. Awkwardly she pulled the jacket Michael had offered her around her shoulders more closely. She let her eyes roam KITT's instruments looking for a mirror. In her mind's eye, she could almost imagine what she looked like, seeing the mascara she felt racing down her cheeks and her hair dripping down her face and neck. She knew she was a mess. Another sneeze forced its way out and KITT adjusted his interior temperature to keep her warm. Her thoughts replayed the argument that got her abandoned in her mind. She was both irritated and thankful that she had not gotten worse.

Michael concluded, "Did he abandon you because of me?"

Selena lied, her words harsh, her tone acidic, "No, what happened was not your fault. And now it is over. I should not have been with him in the first place." She looked toward the window, retreating into herself to stop the thoughts there.

Michael wanted to probe a bit more to make sure she was telling the truth and that she was not being abused in anyway. But he could tell she was still feeling the humiliation of the situation. So, the topic of the how she got abandoned was dropped. Instead he asked for her address and programmed the information into KITT's system. He tried to make their conversation grow out of other things. They found they had many common interests like the same taste in food, music. KITT drove into a small cul-de-sac, then to a two-story at the end of a dead end street, with Selena confirming that the house was her home. As they entered the driveway, Selena let out a frustrated sigh at the site of her maroon convertible's top left down. "This is not happening," poured from her lips from under her breath, her hand holding her head as if in pain. The open interior was slowly becoming a pool of dirty water, floating leaves and other debris, flooded in the storm. Before Michael could stop her, she jumped out and ran up the driveway to salvage her car. She tried to get the top unlatched but it was stuck. Laughing Michael came up at that moment to help her.

Minutes later, the pair had finished their task and stood inside Selena's entrance hall. Water dripped from their hair, their fingers. As Michael stepped through the door, his shoes squished, water gushing out the sides. The denim of his dark jeans clung heavily against his legs with the weight of the water. Selena carried her heels, her bare feet leaving a dirty footprint on the tile. The triangles of the dress gathered in wrinkled, soaked clumps that twisted and hung around her legs. The pair looked at each other trying to dry out and began laughing at their mess. Selena offered Michael coffee and a chance to dry off next to a warm fireplace. When he accepted, she expressed her pleasure and suggested he wait for her in the living room, which she pointed the way to. Then she excused herself and disappeared up a short flight of stairs and into a hallway that went off to the left. Michael heard her footfalls as he followed where Selena's finger pointed. He stepped down into the rustically decorated family room. The walls covered in wood paneling and a floor softly carpeted in rich golden-beige tones. Passing another closed door, he bumped into several bar stools gathered around a two-tiered, mixed gray and red-specked granite-topped lower bar and upper counter combination that also helped to separate the family room from the kitchen, which opened up off to the right. A few steps beyond the counter, sort of making an imaginary doorway, a round wood dining room table surrounded by rolling wood and tan-striped, colored, cloth-seated chairs joined the kitchen and family room. Opposite the kitchen/dining area, several pieces of well-worn furniture stretched out, forming a comfortable conversation area along side of the family room wall. The long red, beige, and brown striped couch with an end table attached to each end butted up to the wall while it's matching large easy chair and ottoman rested a couple of feet in front of a pair of sliding-glass doors that were fashionably-draped in dark olive-green long window scarves over ivory vertical blinds. The doors opened out to a metal roof-covered patio. Finally, two over-stuffed rocking chairs sat waiting near the fireplace that formed the wall that separated the family room from the entrance hall and the remainder of the house.

The room was comfortable and very cozy with its warm, family-oriented tenderness evident in every nook and cranny. In the corner near the fireplace a large entertainment center held a television, DVD player, and all the other electronic toys that make the average American family happy. Michael studied the beautiful artwork decorating the walls and noticed how meticulous everything was placed and taken care of. One painting grabbed for Michael's attention first. It was a family portrait. Selena was younger in it, roughly around 17 or so. She stood beside a tall cheeky smiling man. His eyes were playful, yet the expanse of his gaze was also protective, evidence by the way he held onto a woman who was obviously Selena's mother. In the mother's arms sat a little girl wearing an apricot colored dress and hair ribbons. In front of Selena knelt a seven or eight year old girl with two ponytails pulled back behind her ears. The other paintings in the room were of seashores, mountains, and prairie lands. Some of them conveyed a happy carefree expression, most however expressed a quiet sadness.

Coming down the stairs, Selena halted to observe her guest as he studied her family's portrait. She inquired, "Do you like what you see?"

Michael turned to see that his host had pulled her hair into a ponytail. She had changed into pair of stiff khaki-green army-inspired fatigue pants. The drawstring waistline tied and sat sexily over her hips. She covered a cap-sleeved v-necked, gray t-shirt with a warm, long-sleeved, gray & black flannel shirt, which was left unbuttoned and open as a sort of jacket. The sleeves rolled up to her elbows. The smeared cosmetics had been washed away from her face and she looked more comfortable with her appearance. She stood warily at the entrance of the room, her green eyes questioning and searching Michael carefully. She was obviously protecting her home, trying to decide if she had done the right thing by inviting a perfect stranger inside. Michael smiled, "Beautiful." Selena blushed a bit at Michael's compliment – not intended for the painting. He sensed he might be trying to hard to flirt and retreated back to safety, "The paintings are beautiful. Are you the artist?"

Selena approached Michael. She faced the painting, indicating with her hands, "My uncle painted the one of my family. My sister is responsible for the rest. My uncle let her play with his brushes one day and she hasn't put them down since."

Michael complimented, "She is very good. When was the portrait painted?"

"Ummm... about six years ago... just before my parent's accident." Selena quickly changed the subject, "Why don't you let me dry your clothes while we have coffee."

"But I don't have anything to change into," Michael protested.

"Well, you will catch a terrible cold if you stay in them, Mr. Knight," she scolded in a motherly tone of voice, "Here." She tossed a set of dark blue men's sweats at him and half ordered, "So if you have no more excuses or objections, please follow me." Turning back towards the stairs, Selena led Michael to a door beyond the staircase. She turned on the light, revealing a bathroom behind the door. She informed, "You can change in here. Will you need anything else?"

Michael joked, "Are you always this motherly with perfect strangers?"

Selena laughed, "No, Mr. Knight, just ones who rescue me in the rain."

"Michael" he corrected. When she looked back in confusion, he explained, "You keep saying 'Mr. Knight'. It would please me to hear 'Michael'."

Blushing "Umm…Michael," she stammered, "coffee will be ready soon by the bar when you're ready." Then she closed the door and headed for the kitchen.

A few minutes later, Michael sat down next to the bar, a towel he'd found hanging in the bathroom around his neck. The sweatshirt he'd been provided with was a little large in the shoulders, however, the sweatpants fit comfortably well. He watched Selena working in the kitchen, then turned to study the painting for a moment. Observing Selena again, he inquired, "There are two girls in the portrait?"

"Jasmine is kneeling in front of me…she's the artist of the family. The baby in my mother's arms is my youngest sister Tina."

Michael hesitantly inquired, "I hope you don't mind me asking, but when did your parents pass away?"

Breathing away the longing sadness that usually tried to invade her heart when talking or thinking about her parents, Selena replied, "I was eighteen. It was just after that painting was finished, about six or so years."

"How old were your sisters?"

"Jasmine is fifteen and Tina is ten so that would have made them nine and four respectively." Selena felt comforted and drawn to Michael's inquiry about her family. She sensed he was asking out of curiosity and genuine interest in getting to know her. Something about that helped her to continue, "You know, the social worker tried to split us up and make me sell this house. They said I was too young to raise two children by myself."

Michael concluded, "But you had your own ideas."

Smiling she offered, "What do you take in your coffee?"

Michael answered and continued, "I will bet you took charge the moment the trouble began."

Selena sat down next to Michael with their coffee cups and after placing one in front of him, she affirmed, "You bet. Argued that their reasons for splitting us up weren't good enough. I was working and going to college. Tina could be sent to a day-care center until she started school the next fall. Our financial needs were taken care of by the insurance, which paid off the house; our trust funds; there was enough left from investments and other assets to last for a long time to come. My Aunt Marie finally came to our aid and talked the agency into giving us a six month trial. The rest as they say is history." Selena's thoughts wandered darkly and then as if talking to herself she added anxiously, "You know, I would do just about anything to protect them."

Michael wondered, "Where are they now?"

"I sent them to my Aunt's place for the weekend. My friend wanted to be alone with me and as usual I trusted he would not do anything to ruin it." She stared at Michael for a moment and then smiled, "Then again, I'm beginning to feel very glad that he did." She noticed his clothes piled up on the floor. Gathering them together, she informed, "I'll be right back. I'm gonna go take care of these."

She disappeared into the room just off the kitchen. Michael sipped at the hot coffee until she returned. Selena switched on a lamp by the couch and inquired, "Can we change the subject? I really would rather talk about your car. It is so fascinating, I don't know where to begin asking the questions I have."

"Don't flatter KITT too much, he already has an inflated opinion of himself." Michael's eyes brightened as he talked on and on about KITT and their adventures. He was encouraged by Selena's attentiveness to his stories. She easily laughed at his or "KITT's" jokes. Together they built a roaring fire, continuing their conversation and sharing a light snack and more coffee. The only pause of the night came when Michael's clothes were dry and he went to change into them. Upon his return, he finished telling the story he had just started before the interruption. As he spoke he found himself becoming very attracted to this lady he rescued from the rain. He was caught up inside her dark green eyes that glittered with gold specks and danced by the fire's light just for him when she laughed. Twice he wanted to kiss her and he sensed she felt the same. She had turned away from him both times, redirecting his attentions back to their conversation.

Selena studied Michael's every movement, trying to figure out who this person was and why she had found it so easy to confide in him things about her family that even Patrick had never known. Then again, she thought, Patrick never bothered to inquire about her past. He only cared that she was his father's secretary during the day, his loving and submissive girlfriend at night, and his toy for his silly "games". Shaking away those depressing thoughts, she turned her attention back to Michael. She thought about what might have happened if they had met under different circumstances. She pushed those fantasies away and reminded herself that she wasn't supposed to get involved with him like that or else. The crackling of the logs in the fireplace brought her out of her thoughts causing her to feel embarrassed that she had not been listening to her guest. She turned toward the fire hoping that he had not noticed her inattention. She smiled self-consciously. Awkward by the feelings coming to surface inside her, She smiled at the thought that Patrick would not be pleased with her. She laughed softly to herself; then heard Michael's voice asking her what was funny. His hand closed around hers and she gazed into his trusting eyes and lied, "Nothing, I..."

Michael would not let her turn away from him a third time. He leaned forward and tasted the coffee still on her lips, barely touching them with his own. He felt her lightly, hesitantly respond and was encouraged to go further, enjoying the mix of chocolate and mints coming from her breath mingling with his own. The press of his lips intensified as he explored the contours of her mouth as it melded into his. He found the hesitant way she responded intoxicating. Her eyes had half-closed, the corners revealing her attraction and pleasure. He stroked her chin, her cheek, finally taking a gentle, guiding hold of the crook of her neck just under ear and hairline. His thumb caressing, stroking along her cheekbone, his finger tips getting tangled in her strands of hair caught up in the ponytail and sending delicious, massaging tingles into Selena's neck. Her hands remained clasped tightly in her lap, as if she were afraid of what might happen if she let them reach out to him to touch him.

KITT interrupted their quiet evening, "Michael, Devon is calling. He said it was important."

"O K, KITT, be right out." Upon noticing the questions in Selena's eyes, Michael displayed his comlink. There was a slight irritation at being interrupted in his voice as he explained, "This lets me stay in contact with KITT at all times."

Selena laughed, "Tell me something. Are there any other little things that KITT does that I should know about?"

Michael joked mysteriously, "MuHAHAHA... just wait and see, my dear, wait and see. I am sorry I have to go, Selena, but Devon..."

Selena nodded, "I understand but," the pair stood up to walk to the door, "does this Devon ever give you time off for good behavior?"

Michael teased, "You mean like rescuing a drenched woman from the rain?" Selena laughed and Michael continued, "Once in awhile, but lately little emergencies keep popping up to prevent me from taking a long vacation."

Standing at her front door Selena offered, "Thank you for helping me. It was good fortune that I bumped into you this afternoon."

Michael replied, "Hey, I got to have a wonderful slice of cheese cake and coffee with a pretty girl. They were all delicious."

Selena laughed, "Good, now we are even."

"Not yet," Michael began, "what are you doing for lunch tomorrow?"

"Coming home for a tuna fish sandwich. We only have half a days for the rest of the week because of the holiday. Are you suggesting something better?" She smiled as she leaned against the front door.

Pretending to think it over, Michael grinned, "Yeah I am. Where can I pick you up?"

Quickly Selena returned to the kitchen, jotted down her office's address, and then returned to give the slip of paper to Michael, "I can leave at noon. I work for a company called Judson International. It is on the fourth floor, suite 410."

Michael read the card as she gave the directions and then he commented thoughtfully, "I know this company from somewhere?" He opened the door and observed, "The rain has stopped."

Selena breathed in, "Ooh, I love it when it rains, makes everything smell so clean and fresh," she giggled, "well, fresh as far as Los Angeles' fresh is anyway." With their good-byes over, she waved to Michael one last time before disappearing behind the double black doors.

Inside Selena reluctantly picked up the phone. The line picked up and she informed, "Well, you got your wish. Step two has been completed. I hope what you did to me was worth it." She hung up before he could ask for details and silently flipped off the lights before going to bed.


	2. Trapping Knight with A Queen ch 2

Knight Rider 2010

Trapping Knight With A Queen

Written by  
Ldydeb  
Chapter Two

The next morning, at the Foundation for Law and Government, Michael came into Devon's office; sat down quietly next to Bonnie; and began staring at her to gain her attention. At first, Bonnie tried not to let it bother her; but, after a few minutes of being watched and not talked to, she gave in to her curiosity.  She faced Michael squarely and asked, "Do you want something?"

"No," shrugged Michael.

"Then quit staring at me." After another few minutes of him just staring at her, Bonnie studied his face and smiled, "Oh no. You've got that look again, Knight. What's her name and how can I help?"

Michael grinned, "Selena. And I need a quick picnic lunch and some time off."

"Well, give me the details. When did you meet her?"

"Yesterday. I picked her up in the rain."

"You mean to tell me that she was hitch hiking in that terrible storm! What happened?" asked Bonnie.

"Never mind the details, Bonnie, there's no time. Will you take care of Devon for me?" persisted Michael.

Devon entered the office before Michael could escape him. Devon carried a pile of manila folders with him. He laid them on his desk. His voice caught Michael before he could get out the door; "I have a new case for you and KITT to get started on."

Michael indicated to Bonnie to hurry up with the address she was writing down. He attempted to brush Devon off, "Sorry Devon, I can't right now. I've got a more pressing engagement waiting for me at this very moment."

Devon asked seriously, "What could be more important then Foundation business?"

In amusement Michael answered, "Right now, Devon, a lady named Selena. Bonnie?"

Bonnie handed him a piece of paper as Devon instructed, "Please Michael, just get acquainted with the case for now. Read the background information that's all I'm asking." Michael picked up some of the folders and promised to have them looked over before the day was out. He got out of the office after that to make sure Devon would not change his mind.

Simultaneously at Judson International, Selena and her friend Caiti were chatting by the filing cabinet. Selena finished putting some of work away, while Caiti had just begun hers. Caiti asked, "So, what is he like?"

Selena smiled mischievously, "Nothing special, Caiti, he just gave me a lift home." On the other side of the room, Patrick waltzed in and chatted with one of the other secretaries. Catching a glance at him, Selena's eyes hardened when he smiled her way. Her mind drifted to the night before. 

Caiti's voice interrupted Selena's thoughts; "I don't blame you for being angry! Don't even pay attention to him." She pulled Selena down to the bottom file drawer and demanded, "Now! Tell me more about your Michael Knight. Did he ask you out?"

Selena scolded, "Caiti you are acting like we're still in high school. Comparing notes on our dates and gossiping for Christ's sake! I really don't believe you." She smiled smugly and continued replacing the files she had. She made a show of looking for a file that she had been told to get, ignoring Caiti's attempts to get her to talk.

Caiti grabbed Selena's hands out of the drawer and persisted, "Come on, girlfriend, did he or did he not ask you out?"

Selena nodded, "We're having lunch together this afternoon."

Caiti commented, "No wonder you had me pick you up this morning. Well, I am glad you're going out with him. Maybe now you'll be treated better." The look in Selena's eyes told Caiti she hit a sore spot. Caiti knew she should not have brought it up, but it was not a secret to anyone how Patrick abused her. As her best friend, Caiti had warned Selena plenty of times to stay away from him. 

Hugging her friend, Caiti consoled, "I am sorry, Selena. Anyway did he tell you where he was taking you?"

Unexpectedly, Patrick peered over the filing cabinet. He asked, "Where is who taking you, Selena?"

Giving him a dirty look, Selena jumped in before Caiti could reveal her plans, "I have a lunch date. Caiti is making a big deal out of it."

A young woman from Selena's office called to her, "Selena, your sister Jasmine is on the phone. Line five."

"I'll be right there," called out Selena. She threw her files at Caiti; gave her a "don't say anything" look; and hurried into her office. Picking up the receiver, she asked, "Hello, Jasmine, whatchya need?"

Jasmine explained, "Marie got sick and..."

Selena sighed, "Uncle Dave brought you all home."

"Yeah, we got here just of a few minutes ago. I called to ask you what to do about Tina?"

Selena scolded, "Come on, Jasmine, she is your sister. What kind of question is that? You'll have to stay home and watch her for just this once."

Jasmine whined, "But, Selena, you know I can now go to that art class that you made me almost miss this weekend. We're supposed to go to the art institute for a tour. I'd take her with me, but all my friends are going and she'll just get bored."

Before Selena could respond, she was interrupted for a second by Patrick's light tap on the door. She knew he was trying to get her attention, so she pointedly ignored him. He came to stand by her desk as she offered, "I'm sorry, Jasmine, I forgot about the tour. Don't worry; I'll pick Tina up at 12:30. But please do not leave until I get there. I know that bus doesn't leave until 1:30, so you'll have plenty of time to make the trip. By the way, I wish you would let Tina hang out with you once in a while. You'd be surprised to find how much fun she can be."

Reluctantly, Jasmine agreed and hung up before she got herself into any more trouble. Patrick inquired, watching Selena move away from him to the chair behind her desk, "Trouble among my favorite ladies?"

"Would you care if there was?" Selena replied, slightly irritated. It infuriated her that he was pretending that last night had not occurred. She put her desk between them to guard against any more lies that he loved her or anything else for that matter.

Reading her mood, Patrick asked apologetically, "Selena," he defeated her defensive position by joining her behind the desk and behind her caressing her neck and shoulders, "You are not still angry with me for last night? We got out what we wanted, didn't we?" He spoke into her ear knowing how sensitive she was there, immobilizing her. He wanted her to feel his domination of her and let it sink deeper. He stated, "Dinner this evening. We could make up for losing last night together." His tone and a touch of his hands let her know what he wanted from her and that it was not a request.

Before Patrick could finish, two gentlemen entered the office. Sighing her irritation, Selena shook off Patrick's invasive hands to politely inform, "Your Guests are here, Patrick." Patrick looked up like a satisfied peacock as one of the gentleman stepped forward to address Selena.  Selena's cheeks flamed hotly as she remembered several other meetings with Patrick's business partners.

One of the gentlemen smoothed the front of his suit jacket as he replied, "Please inform Mr. Judson Sr. that we are here for the meeting, Miss Kirk."

Patrick extended his hand and answered, "Good morning, Roger, I'm glad you could make it." Patrick's interruption of the gentleman's introduction put Selena on the alert. Patrick squeezed her arm tightly to keep her silent. 

The other gentleman approached Selena and lifted her hand to his lustful sneering lips.  She found herself pinned between the man and Patrick, as the two men shared amusement over her predicament.  The man offered, "Very Good to see you again, Selena.  I was happy to hear Patrick was able to convince you to take care of that problem for us after all."

Fighting off the fear Patrick tried to get her to feel, Selena withdrew her hand from the gentleman's and complied with Patrick's warning, quickly buzzing her boss's office. 

Patrick Judson Sr. opened the door to his office to the right of Selena's desk. Expressionless the man guided his guests into his office. Patrick pulled his father aside and made a quiet suggestion/order to him. Patrick Sr. nodded and closed the door to his office while remaining with Selena. Taking Selena's hand, he instructed, "Miss Kirk, as you know, this is going to be a very private meeting and we don't want to be disturbed at all. I'd like you to close down the office. You and the others may leave whenever you're ready." He dropped his set of keys in her hand and continued, "Please make sure everything is locked and bring these back in the morning." He looked at her solemnly and said apologetically, "Patrick has really taken over everything and everyone, hasn't he? I'm very sorry for my son's actions toward you especially, Selena. I wish..." Selena felt the rest of this sentiment in her heart and squeezed his hand, allowing him the dignity of not having to continue.

She offered, "It'll work out for the best, Mr. Judson, I promise."

He commented mysteriously, "If things go as planned, my dear, they will. I just hope Patrick can forgive me for doing the right thing." Before Selena could ask what he meant, he disappeared behind the door; his last instruction for her to engage the answering service for incoming calls.

Selena did as she was instructed and noticed that he had let them go earlier than she had previously told Michael. That meant she would have to wait for him in the office alone. Oh well, she thought, this will be a good time to clean up my desk and put away the rest of my files. While working, she regretted letting Caiti drive her to work that morning. She was busy cleaning up her desk when she accidentally pushed the intercom button for Mr. Judson's office. She heard Patrick's voice, "Don't worry about her, I can handle her. I'm keeping her busy with our other problem. What we still need is a way to get the merchandise off the base and out of the country."

Another voice argued, "How can you guarantee she won't be a problem? After all, she did help the police investigate her last employer's illegal activities."

Patrick gloated, "Again, Roger, Lennox and I assure you that I have her exactly where I want her. She'll play this game by my rules for as long as I want her to."  There was heard a slight arrogant shared laugh between what she knew was Patrick and his friend, Lennox.

Hearing Patrick's last comment Selena knew she was the topic of their conversation. The irony of it was annoying. Patrick Judson Sr. originally hired her because of her honesty and actions to put away her former employer who had been laundering drug money for local gangs. She remembered that Mr. Judson had asked her to use her investigating experience to check out some of his clients, personnel, friends, and even certain family members the first year she started working there. Then Patrick took control of the company. She was an honest, dependable employee until she got involved with Patrick. Slowly and methodically, he found a way around her independence and integrity. Coming out of her thoughts, she sensed someone standing behind her. She turned around to face the visitor while shutting off the intercom system. The visitor smiled, "Where is everyone?"

Selena returned pleasantly, "Hi Michael. They have all gone home. Mr. Judson decided to close down early." Throwing her work into her top drawer, she grabbed her purse, her keys, and tried to rush Michael out of the office before he overheard something that would get them both into a lot of trouble. She said, escorting him to the elevator, "I just have to lock up. We can go."

In the parking lot, Michael opened KITT's door for Selena while listening to her explain the problem with her sisters. Gathering her courage, she informed, "What I'm trying to tell you, Michael, is I have to take a rain check on lunch. If you want, you are more than welcome to have lunch with Tina and I." She waited for the inevitable complaints or rejection. She remembered only too well how Patrick did not like to have her sister's around let alone changing his plans at the last minute because of them.

Michael could see her hesitation, her dilemma at wanting to be with him yet having the responsibility to take care of her sister.  Michael enjoyed being with children and had no problem offering, "Why don't we just take her with us? I'm sure we can find something to make her happy." KITT was about to quip something sarcastic about children and messy car habits; but Michael talked over him.

Unnoticed from the fourth floor window, Michael and Selena were watched until they disappeared out of the parking lot. As they drove, Selena's eyes caught a glimpse of the subject of one of the folders stacked on "KITT's" dashboard. She asked, "Michael, could you pull into the next gas station or something? I have a terrible headache and no pain reliever."

Michael agreed and proceeded to do as she had requested. When he was safely out of the car, she quickly began to examine the information in the folders. As she suspected, Michael's new case involved Judson International. Patrick will be interested in knowing about this, she thought. As she paged through, she was astonished to find how complete and detailed the information was. The information contained background on all of Judson's employees, from top executives to last janitor. She recognized several of the reports were copies of the investigations she had done for Patrick Sr. earlier that year. To make sure that they were hers, she looked through some of the other folders and found originals written in her handwriting. She had thought that no one knew about her little investigations except Patrick Sr. It was obvious that someone did a lot of digging or The Foundation for Law and Government was given the files voluntarily. Then her memory brought back the warning Patrick Sr. had given her that morning and she knew he had turned his son into the authorities. Her tears threatened to come to surface; the knowledge of the danger Patrick Sr. was in if his son found out about his betrayal. Somehow, Selena promised she would do her best to stop that from happening.

The thought of Patrick threw her into a small panic. She searched for and pulled out his file. She looked around quickly to make sure that Michael wasn't on his way back before she started reading it. She found out details about Patrick that she had never known. She read that he had been involved in "soldier of fortune" activities and that he almost received a court-marshal for stealing classified information and weapons to sell to the highest bidder. He escaped prosecution because someone "lost" the evidence. He was a very violent man, the report said, and should be handled with extreme caution. Selena could not help but agree with what the report said about him. On several occasions, she had been the vent for his anger. She was about to skim over a few paragraphs about herself and her relationship with Patrick; but Michael exited the gas station. Quickly, she put the folders back together and placed them back on KITT's dashboard.

The guilty feelings that she had been experiencing since meeting Michael rose up again. She tried to push them way while watching him approach the car. She thought about the information he had and felt angry with him for being able to creep into her and her friends' private lives. She wanted to steel herself from putting her sisters in danger and losing everything she had fought for the last four years. These feelings persisted in warring against each other while Michael resumed their trip to her house. Michael couldn't help but notice her lack of attention and the perturbed expression tightening her jaw. At first he didn't want to pry into her thoughts, but it was becoming obvious that she was ready to explode. He asked, "Selena, what is bothering you?"

When she did not answer, Michael told KITT to go into automatic mode. He turned to watch her deal with her problems alone. To get her attention, he gently reached for her hand, accidentally caressing the side of her arm. He complimented, "You know, you are very pretty when you were so deep in thought. Care to share what is wrong?"

Selena reacted as if she had just been burned, jerking away from Michael's touch. In her mind, she had been remembering all the things she read in Michael's report and memories of Patrick lecherous hands invaded her thoughts. She had been wondering how Michael would react to the reports, but especially the ones detailing several incidents she had gotten herself into because of Patrick's little games. Again, she put her guilt down in favor of being appalled that Michael's Foundation had invaded her life. She glared at Michael with the intent of taking out her feelings on him. But her anger was replaced with alarm when she found KITT driving down the road with out Michael's hands on the steering wheel. She ordered anxiously, "Michael, how is KITT...KITT can drive by himself?" She rolled her eyes, "When will the surprises ever end! Why wasn't I told about this before it gave me a heart attack!" 

KITT spoke to ease her mind, "You are right, Selena. Michael should have told you that I have automatic driving features."

Michael added, "I let KITT take over so I could get your attention. I didn't mean to scare you. But you looked so angry. What is wrong?"

Selena looked away trying to hide the truth. She replied, "Nothing, just this awful headache and a problem I couldn't fix at work."

Michael offered a plastic bag to her. He said, "I think this will help that." 

Inside the bag she found a bottle of pain reliever and some juice.  Selena was touched and shamed by his generosity. She gratefully took advantage of both items in the bag. When she was finished, she asked, not having any trouble sounding excited, "Now! Please tell me more about your friend here so this doesn't happen again. I mean he's wonderful!" While waiting for Michael to begin, her thoughts drifted to the files knowing that she would have to some how steal them from Michael and give them to Patrick. Again a knot of guilt formed in her stomach.

Unaware of her thoughts Michael smiled as KITT remarked, "At least I'm not an 'it' anymore."

Selena didn't know why but she felt like she had to win KITT over to get closer to Michael. She needed to get close to Michael to keep him out of danger. With that conviction, she coaxed, "KITT, I am sorry. Please forgive me?"

KITT replied evasively, "Well..."

Selena pleaded, "Come on! You can tell I am now so fascinated with you that I wish I could learn how to operate you...with you as my instructor, KITT."

Michael laughed, "Selena, do you realize what you are asking? He'd scare you to death just for the fun of it. But if you want, I'll..."

KITT responded on the offense, "I would not, Michael. I would make sure she'd be able to operate me with better care than you do."

An argument ensued as they pulled into Selena's driveway. Selena stopped the argument in midstream, "Sorry to intrude, but I'm going to find Tina. You can join me if you like, Michael, when you are finished thrashing KITT that is." She giggled at her teasing of them.

Michael inquired, "Don't you want to know where we are going this afternoon?"

Selena responded, as KITT opened the door for her, "It would be a nice idea. But then again, I've already found that you are usually just full of surprises. Like this," motioning to the opened door, "hopefully I'll get used to it. Thank you, KITT, you are such a gentleman." She threw Michael her best sarcastic grin.

Seconds later, they were standing in front of Selena's door waiting for her to retrieve her house key from her purse. As she searched for them, Michael simply turned the knob and opened it. "What is this doing unlocked?" wondered Selena, "Jasmine! Tina! I'm home!"

Two young girls bounded down the stairs but froze halfway when they saw the stranger behind their sister. The taller of the two girls was wearing an old, paint-stained, and oversized men's dress shirt over a pink T-shirt and blue jeans. Michael recalled the family portrait and concluded from the green eyes that were studying him that this young girl with auburn hair must be Jasmine.  Tina still resembled Selena but with strawberry blond curls pinned back with gold barrettes and light brown eyes that revealed a shy yet inquisitive nature. Michael braced himself when Jasmine attacked protectively, "I thought you were suppose to be with Patrick this weekend?"

Selena returned Jasmine's question with a look that told her to "Shut-up!" She replied, "Jasmine, what was this door doing unlocked? You know the rules when I am not here."

Jasmine explained, "Chill out, Selena. I knew you'd be here soon, so..."

"So you left it open for me," Selena finished, "Nice idea, Jasmine, but I have a very good reason for keeping this door locked. So please make sure it is until I tell you different."

Jasmine responded, defiance still light in her voice, "God, Selena, I wish you'd get it together and be yourself again."

Remembering Michael behind her, Selena blushed at her sister's comment, "Don't you have an art class to attend?"

Tina had been keeping an eye on Michael during her sisters' battle of wills and now she spoke, "But, Sal, who is He?"

Selena's face turned another shade red, she introduced, "Tina, Jaz, this is Michael." She knew she needed to salvage the situation...from her overreaction to the door being unlocked and from bringing this stranger to meet her girls without telling them first. She explained, "He was kind enough to give your stupid and drenched sister a ride home yesterday."

Jasmine began to grill Michael with questions while Tina helped to escort him into their living room. Michael replayed the rest of the story for them and answered as many of the questions Jasmine asked as he could. He was awed how protective the sisters were of each other. Selena brought up the subject of KITT; knowing Tina loved working with and learning about computers and technology. She left Michael alone to defend himself against a whole new set of questions but from Tina who was quickly overcoming her shyness because of KITT. Selena went into the kitchen to fix everyone a drink.

Michael watched Selena working in the kitchen. She was laughing at him and her sisters. He too was amused by the attention he was getting; enchanted with the way Selena and her sisters interacted with each other. Michael took advantage of a lag in the questions to launch some questions of his own. He got the information he wanted and then asked Tina for a suggestion of something she'd like to do with the rest of the day. While Tina contemplated that, he turned to Jasmine and convinced her to give up her trip to tag along with them. He promised to take her to some of the big galleries in Beverly Hills. That won him over to Jasmine. He quietly gave them a list of things to get for their trip, including some things for Selena. They all looked at Selena conspiratorially and then Michael sent the Kirk sisters upstairs to get ready for their excursion.

Selena returned from the kitchen with a glass of lemonade for Michael. She had overheard him convincing her sisters to join them but not much else. She wondered aloud, "What did you say to them?"

Michael laughed, "Not much...you'll see."

Selena joined his laughter, "Thank you for being so patient with them."

Michael replied, "They're fun!"

Selena smiled, "Wow, if we're gonna get going, I'd better put my things away and get ready." She looked around for her briefcase and cursed, "Damn! Michael, I left my briefcase in KITT. Would you mind if I went out to get it?"

Michael replied, "Not at all."

Outside, Selena found the briefcase where she purposely left it. She opened it and shoved several of the most damaging and informative files about her company in it. KITT asked, "Selena, what are you doing?"

She lied, "I spilled some of Michael's files on the floor while getting my briefcase. Sorry, KITT, I'll clean it up."

KITT replied, "Please be careful. Those are confidential and very important for the new case Michael has started." Selena closed her briefcase and after making an appropriate excuse, she went back into the house and up the stairs to change.

A little later, everyone was ready to go. Michael introduced KITT and drove on to their first destination. They stopped by the restaurant that Bonnie had suggested and Michael brought out a huge picnic basket full of food, soft drinks, and a bottle of wine. After storing the basket in the trunk, he opened Selena's door and offered, "Would you care to drive, Madame?"

Selena's eyes widened with excitement and surprise, "You are joking, right? I don't think I can do this! Michael!"

"Sure you can. Trust me it is just like driving an everyday car. You can do that?" he taunted.

Jasmine and Tina prodded, "Come on, Selena! You can do it!"

KITT assured, "There is nothing to worry about."

Salina concluded unbelieving, "And you wouldn't dream of playing a practical joke on me by making me use one of those 'special functions', would you?"

Michael grinned mischievously, "Just trust us."

Selena teased, "Trust you!"

Jasmine returned, "You are just chicken, Selena. Can I do it, Michael?"

Selena answered, "You can't even drive a real car yet, Jaz." She realized her mistake and said, "Sorry, KITT." She allowed Michael to help her up and escort her to the driver's side of KITT. She remarked trying to sound confident, "I'll show you who's chicken!"

When Michael was safely seated next to her, he showed her how to start the engine and then let KITT take over the instruction from there. As she drove, Michael showed her how to plot a course for them to travel. Together, they mapped out a course for the beach. As they drove, a Mercedes began following them from far behind.

When he was sure she had mastered KITT's most basic functions, Michael told KITT to take over and demonstrate his more complicated functions. The three women were amazed at how KITT could operate himself while Michael sat in the passenger seat. Michael suggested to Selena that she take back control of KITT and she learned how to change from automatic pursuit to manual and back again. KITT planned the last demonstration when they got to the beach. He warned everyone to hang on as he focused on a small sand dune and jumped over it. Little screams of fear and excitement resounded throughout the car from its passengers as they sailed through the air. The demonstration over, KITT found a space to rest at the edge of a path that led to the beach. Tina squealed, "That was fun! How'd you do that, Selena?"

Selena shrugged, "I don't know. KITT took over and I couldn't stop him."

Michael laughed, "Is everyone OK?"

"Yeah!" the girls chorused.

Selena commented, "I think I'll stay in the passenger seat from now on though."

KITT predicted, "You'll change your mind, Selena. Once I get under your skin, you can't get rid of me."

Michael rolled his eyes and teased, "I can...a...testify to that. KITT's been tagging along with me for a very long time now."

Jasmine asked, "Can we go to the beach now?"

Her suggestion sent everyone scrambling out of KITT and running towards the water. Selena and her sisters stopped by the water's edge and began taking off their canvas slip-ons. Tina frowned, "Michael, how come you didn't tell us to put our bathing suits on?"

Michael answered, "Because I didn't want to give away the surprise."

Tina asked, "Selena, can we still get wet?"

Selena had been whispering something to Jasmine that made her giggle. She answered, "Sure, Tina, our shorts will dry. Just be careful of the sand. I'm sure KITT isn't a self-cleaning model and would not appreciate getting sand into his systems."

Michael replied, "Well, actually he can..." He shut-up when he realized they weren't listening to him. He watched them wade into the water until their ankles sank deep under the water and the cool sand squished between their toes. 

While Jasmine and Tina bent down to splash water on their faces, Selena stretched. She felt so relaxed that she too wished she had worn a swimsuit. She settled for her cut-offs and for removing the blouse she had worn over its matching yellow tank top. Michael had just finished rolling up his jeans when she called, "Think fast!" and threw her blouse at him. The blouse softly slapped him on the chin and dropped into his hands. She applauded, "Bravo, Mr. Knight, you can catch too! My Hero!" 

As Michael tossed the blouse to the dry sand, Selena trudged over to her sisters and they huddled together for a second. She winked at Jasmine. Michael entered the water as they picked up Tina and threw her into the water directly in front of him. Tina's fall sent large amounts of water over and around Michael until he was completely soaked to the skin. He reached for Tina, but she scrambled away from him towards Selena and Jasmine. Michael raised a fist at them and warned, "I'll get you three!"

Jasmine taunted, "How?"

Selena finished, "Whatchya gonna do? Without KITT, you're not tough!"

Tina giggled, "Yup! Three helpless girls just turned you into a wet mop!"

"Oh yeah!"

"Yeah!"

"Yeah," Michael returned, "Well, I'm gonna show you just how tough I can be!"  He bent down and with one swoop grabbed Tina and Jasmine by their waists and threw them in the water. He proceeded to go after Selena, but she escaped into deeper water, pushing backwards as she tried to protect herself. Michael lost his footing and fell into the water face first. Selena shook with laughter as she watched Michael and her sisters trying to recover from their dunking. Her laughter turned to hysterics while Jasmine and Tina desperately tried not to laugh. Michael glared at their oldest sister and wanted to get even.

Together Jasmine and Tina shouted, "Get Her! Michael!"

Selena realized she was in trouble when Michael started stalking her. Backing away, she tried to plead with him to stop, but her pleas were ignored. Her sisters surrounded her to prevent her escape and began splashing her unmercifully. To avoid them, she ran towards the sand and the chase was on. The girls watched as they first went up to the sand, then back into the water and then down the beach. One moment, Michael was gaining on Selena and then she turned tables and was chasing him back towards the girls. As they got close to them, Jasmine and Tina splashed at them. Michael used their play to regain his ground in chasing Selena. They ran down the beach and disappeared under the docks. Jasmine rolled her eyes at the thought of what they would be doing under there and knew she and Tina were now on their own for a while. To keep Tina busy, she retrieved a Frisbee from the beach bag and they began to toss it back and forth.

On top of a nearby sand dune, Patrick had watched their horseplay until Michael and Salina disappeared. Something in Selena's attitude that morning made Patrick want to keep close tabs on everything she did with Mr. Knight. After they disappeared from view, he turned his binoculars towards the smooth, charcoal Trans-Am that he had wanted to possess since finding the blueprints for it in his father's files. Movement from under the dock caught his eye. He turned in time to see Michael pull Selena behind one of the wood dock supports and kiss her.

Under the docks, Selena was out of breath when Michael finally caught her. He surprised her with his kiss and she laughingly swatted him away. She liked being kissed by him, but knew she shouldn't let him. Not just because of her sisters but also because of the things he didn't know about her. 

Michael held her from getting away from him and demanded, "Do you give up?"

Still trying to catch her breath, Selena teased, "Maybe."

Michael groaned, "OH!" He picked her up and carried her into the water where he dumped her. When she came up out of the water, he teased, "Now, have you changed your opinion of me?"

Pushing her soggy hair out of her eyes, she grinned one of her eyes squinting in the sun as she gazed up at him, "Well...I guess you're all right."

Michael helped her up and they walked back up the beach over to where the girls were still throwing Frisbees. Selena asked, "Your magic car wouldn't happen to be able to produce a couple of towels, would he?"

Michael replied, "Abra-Ka-Da-Bra!" as he left her to go back to KITT. KITT opened his trunk and Michael pulled out the picnic basket, which contained several very large beach towels, and a large beach blanket. 

Upon his return to the shoreline, Selena laughed at his preparedness and said incredulously, "You knew we were gonna do this, didn't you?"

Michael replied, "Not at first or I would've worn a pair of shorts too. The restaurant had a gift shop, so I had the sales girl throw these in just in case."

The girls joined them for a light lunch and then returned to the water while Michael and Selena lay lazily on the blanket. Selena relaxed on her stomach, resting her head in her folded arms. Michael lay on his side next to her. He watched as she started to fall asleep in the hot sun. Mischievously, he began digging a whole next to her and dumping the sand over her back. Somewhat annoyed, she rolled over on to her side to face him, resting her head in the palm of her hand. She tried to see his face through squinted eyes as she asked, "What are you doing?"

"Having a little fun."

"More like being a little pest." Something moved in the distance beyond Michael.  Selena looked for a second to see Patrick still watching them. A shadow clouded her eyes and she became very sad.

Michael caught it before she shook it away to hide it from him. He asked, "What's wrong?"

She sat up, facing away from Michael, looking towards the water. She laughed self-consciously, "Nothing, Michael! I'm having a great afternoon."

Michael refused to let her brush him off, He confronted, "You are not fine, Selena. You were so sad just now, why?"

Selena shrugged, "I was just thinking of Jasmine and Tina. This is the first time in a very long time that we've been able to play together like this. I've had a lot going on away from them and I know they have to be hating me for being so neglectful."

Michael reassured, "No, Selena. Didn't you see how protective they are of you? I have never been that thoroughly interrogated before."

Selena was embarrassed, but grateful. She smiled, "I am sorry, Michael."

Michael laughed, "No, I was glad to do it. They love you very much."

Selena looked away as she agreed, "We seem to go overboard in trying to protect each other. I know I've done a lot of stupid things for just that reason. I would not want to bore you with any those stories. You have been really wonderful to us."

Michael was about to inquire further, but she excused herself and went back into the water to join her sisters. As he watched them throw the Frisbee back and forth, their conversation replayed itself in his head. His instincts told him that something was very wrong with Selena. He had let her worried glances toward the parking lot go unquestioned. But he had clearly seen fear creep into her eyes when she looked over his shoulder. Since the girls were out of earshot, Michael scanned the parking lot and caught sight of the man that had been with Selena the day before in the restaurant watching her with binoculars. Quietly, Michael spoke into his wrist communicator, "KITT, I need you to investigate the Mercedes parked on the other side of the lot from you."

KITT inquired, "Something wrong, Michael?"

Michael answered, "I hope not, Buddy. Check it out for me. Do me a favor let's keep this between us. I don't want Selena to know I asked you to do this for me." Michael joined the Kirk sisters in the water and they continued to play until late in the afternoon.

On the way home, Patrick wanted to test "KITT's" capabilities and tried to knock them off the road. KITT prevented them from crashing and quipped, "Stupid kid! Michael, we should teach him a lesson before he kills someone."

Selena replied, "Not with Jasmine and Tina in here. Please, Michael."

Michael swallowed the urge to ask her what the real reason she did not want him to go after it, but he just agreed to her request and drove them home. Soon, they reached their destination and Selena sent her sisters into the house ahead of her. Michael knew she was going to thank him for the wonderful time he had shown them. He, however as soon as the girls were safe inside, asked, "Are you busy tomorrow?"

Salina replied, "I have to work in the morning again and then I want to take advantage of the school holiday and take the girls shopping."

Michael asked, "Can I tag along?"

Selena scolded, her "mom-voice" coming out, "Don't you have a new case to work on?" The words were out before she could stop them. She swore to herself as she tried to think of a plausible explanation, "I accidentally knocked down the files that were on your dashboard when I got my briefcase this afternoon."

Michael shrugged, though now studied her a little more intensely, "Did you see anything important?"

"Michael, I don't read things that are none of my business," she replied offensively, "Anyway, won't this Devon expect you to begin your investigation tomorrow?"

Michael shook off his duties, "No, I told him I wanted the weekend off and Bonnie promised to cover for me."

Selena brightened, "Does this mean we might have you for the entire weekend?"  She would have no trouble keeping him away from Patrick now.

Michael smiled slyly, "Well maybe just you. I might have a way to take care of your sisters." With that, he allowed Selena to leave KITT. He informed, "I'll meet you here at 12:30." Selena waved him off and watched him drive away before following her sisters into the house.

Inside her home, Selena helped straighten up the house and put away the things they had taken to the beach. The Kirk sisters then made plans for the next day and got ready for bed. As was her custom, Selena entered Tina's room to say good night. She sat on the bed next to her reclining sister and asked, "Did you have a good time today?"

Tina yawned happily, "The beach was great, Sal. I like Michael a lot. He's much more fun than Patrick ever was."

Selena forced herself to smile, "You think so?"

Tina nodded enthusiastically, "Oh, Yes. He's so nice and KITT is so excellent. He tells me the best jokes ever. He can even play chess!  Will we get to see him again so I can challenge him to a game?"

Selena answered, "It just so happens that I invited Michael to go shopping with us tomorrow.  I'm sure he would let you have a game with KITT."

Tina smiled, "I'm glad. But what about Patrick? Won't he be mad when he finds out about Michael?"

Selena was unprepared for that question and had to think before answering, "Patrick won't be mad, Tina. As a matter of fact, Patrick met Michael this morning and gave me his best wishes." Selena averted her eyes from Tina's, hating having to lie to her sister again. She was a hypocrite. She drilled into both of her sister's heads that honesty is one of the most important things in a person's character. Now she had done it and had been doing it for too long thinking she was doing it for all the right reasons. Seeing things from Tina's point of view, the thought that she was wrong dug itself into her soul.

Tina laid her hand on Selena's and asked, her voice very serious and worried, "Are you sure? Maybe he was pretending and now he's gonna hurt you again."

Selena swallowed her urge to cry. She had not realized how much Tina knew about her relationship with Patrick. She denied, "Tina, Patrick's never hurt me. Where would you get an idea like that?"

"I've seen him. A few weeks ago and then last weekend, You were arguing with him in the middle of the night and then he...well he hit you," insisted Tina.

Jasmine had come through the hallway and now stood in Tina's doorway waiting for Selena's explanation. She too had heard the arguments and had let Tina crawl into bed with her after Tina had come down the hall from the stairs crying over what she had witnessed. Salina held Tina's hand and replied softly, "I'm sorry you saw that, Dolly. Patrick did not mean to hit me. Sometimes our arguments have gotten out of hand and his temper got away from him. But I can guarantee Patrick will never do that to me again."

Tina replied with determination in her voice, "I believe you, Selena, Michael will never give him the chance."

Selena changed the subject, "Are you gonna be all right to go to sleep now, My Dolly?"

Tina hugged her sister very tight and said, "Now that I know we're safe, I will."

Selena smiled, "That I can guarantee, Dolly. Remember I'm the one who always protects you." Gently pushing Tina to lie down on her pillow, they prayed together, then Selena covered her sister with the blankets and said, "Sweet dreams, Dolly."

Tina smiled, her worries satisfied for the night, "Don't call me 'DOLLY'. I'm too old for that nickname."

Selena laughed, "Oh, Tina, you became my Dolly when Momma put you in my arms when you were a Baby, and you'll be my Dolly forever! Now good night."

Tina sighed in frustration, but replied, "Good Night."

After Selena kissed her forehead, she went into the hall to find Jasmine still waiting for her to come out. Jasmine followed her down the hall. She probed, "Selena, are you sure Patrick's not going to give you any trouble?"

Selena escorted Jasmine inside her bedroom and answered, "What's wrong, Jaz?"

Jasmine challenged, "Nothing, Selena. It's just that, well, I'm not ten and you can't fool me with the 'he only hit me once' bit."

Selena was about to deny Jasmine's accusation, but knew the girl had seen different. She remarked, "I know, Jaz. But believe me when I tell you that Patrick will leave us alone as long as I am going out with Michael."

Jasmine suggested, "Maybe you should tell Michael about Patrick. He'd make sure Patrick couldn't hurt you again...like Tina said!"

All too quickly, Selena retorted, "No. And don't you go and say anything behind my back."

Jasmine countered, "But what if Patrick tries something?"

Weary of the conversation, Selena begged, "Just let me handle this, Jaz! Please trust me." She pulled Jasmine into her embrace and added, "And no matter what happens, please remember that I love you both and would do anything for you."

Jasmine gave up. She knew Selena would not confide in her and she could not change Selena's mind. She offered, "You've gotten us through tougher things than this, Selena."

Selena breathed easier and replied, "Good night, Jaz."

As Selena left Jasmine's bedroom she heard her voice comment, "You know, Selena, I agree with Tina. Michael is a lot more fun than Patrick and a lot cuter too."

The two sisters grinned at each other and then Selena walked down the hall to her room to go to bed.


	3. trapping knight ch3

Knight Rider 2010

Trapping Knight With A Queen

Written by  
Ldydeb  
Chapter Three

The next morning, Selena sat staring at the glass walls that surrounded her office. She could see into the main area watching her co-workers busy at their jobs. She knew she should be working, but her mind was too busy thinking about Michael Knight and their afternoon together with her sisters. She had spent most of the night restless with nightmares. The conversation with Tina about how she had seen Patrick abuse her worried Selena. She was becoming overwhelmed with guilt for the lies she was telling to her sisters and now to Michael all because of Patrick. Closing her eyes, Selena wished she had never let Patrick take her to that restaurant where she first laid eyes on Michael Knight. She wished she had not let Patrick push her out of his car that afternoon. She replayed the events, recalling each detail, each part of Patrick's manipulation that lead to her waiting in the rain.

While they waited for the valet to bring his car around, Patrick commented, "You did an excellent job in there my dear. Now we can go plan our next step to keep Mr. Knight away from me."

Disgusted, Selena replied, "You mean that scene was for his benefit! To get his attention! I wish you had told me that his first impression of me would be that I'm some kind of fool."

Patrick shrugged, "I wanted your reactions to be real. Now let's talk about something else. We'll have to find something to do now that dinner has been ruined." 

Selena felt Patrick's eyes rake her skin through the flimsy material of the dress she wore. She closed her eyes, ignoring his obvious suggestion. She had too much at stake to go against him now. Selena remembered taking a deep breath and quietly complaining, "You didn't have to embarrass me."

Uninterested, Patrick dismissed her comment knowing how well he could still control her. He kissed her hand, "Selena, it was the only way I knew to get to his attention. It got the job done. Mr. Knight is known for rescuing young and beautiful damsels in distress. And you are the perfect damsel; very beautiful and soon to be in much distress." He caressed the side of her arm seductively and opened the passenger side of his light blue Mercedes allowing her to get in.

Selena's face became flushed. She retreated from the argument; "All I'm saying Patrick is that you were rude and after all it was you who made me drop my purse and then pushed me into him."

As he drove, Selena remembered how Patrick had watched her. He remarked, "My Toy, you are truly beautiful this afternoon with my favorite blue linen dress showing off your sexy legs. Here," he reached over and pulled her skirt up until the hem rested just above her knees, "let me help you get more comfortable."

They both knew he meant the opposite. Between the feel of his touch and the way the material clung damply to her skin in the places the rain had touched it, Selena was anything but comfortable. In defense, she pulled her sweater around her shoulders better, a slight chill causing her skin to become riddled with goose bumps. Selena saw him smile at her, an idea obviously playing in his head. He had called her the hated nickname he had created for her. She knew he was creating another game for her to play and she knew whichever way it worked he would be the winner. "I don't want to talk about this anymore," said Patrick. He moved his hand to rest on her thigh. "I know we can find something much more pleasant."

Selena froze at his touch. She had replied angrily, "What I'd like, Patrick, is just go home. I need to figure another way to get your plan back on track now that you've made me look like such a fool in front of Mr. Knight."

Patrick then had accused her, "I thought I said I didn't want to talk about him anymore. Why should it matter to you that he might think you are a fool...unless you're planning to double cross me now that you've met him!"

Selena replied defiantly, "That is ridiculous! We both know that he can't 'rescue' me from our deal."

Patrick jumped, "So then you admit it. You were thinking about the possibility of going to him."

Cursing Patrick's photograph hanging on the wall of her office beside his father's, Selena came to realize how easily Patrick had set her up as she recalled how she had plunged recklessly into his game, "You know, Patrick, I had not thought of that. Thank you for the suggestion; at least He'd treat me with tenderness after hearing how you pushed me into this mess!" The moment the words were out of her mouth, Selena recalled she knew she was in trouble. There was anger in Patrick's eyes. Taking a deep breath and vigorously brushing the hair out of her eyes, She had tried to smooth things over, "You know I didn't mean that, Patrick. You asked me to join you for dinner to begin the next phase of your plan. Please just take me back to the restaurant and I will grab a taxi. I promise I'll be good."

As if watching a movie inside her head, Selena recalled Patrick pulling off to the shoulder of the road, reaching across her lap to open the passenger side door, and ordering, "If you want to go back, Selena, walk."

Selena had been stunned. Her attempts to calm her temper had failed. She demanded, "In the rain! I don't know what kind of sick joke you're playing now, Patrick, but...."

"Get out!" He ordered, "I refuse to deliver you to your new boyfriend."

Selena pouted, "But? Patrick, just take me home or to a place I can call a taxi."

Patrick nudged her out of her seat, adding, "Good luck, My Love, I hope you can find a ride home in this awful mess."

Giving him her dirtiest look, Selena had hollered, "Thanks for nothing!" Upon getting out, she had slammed the car door and watched Patrick drive away. Water had splashed up from his tires at her as the car pulled away from the sidewalk. But Selena remembered not noticing any difference; the rain pouring down had already done its damage. The walk back began with Selena spouting every curse she knew at Patrick for all the rotten things he had done to her in the past. Another voice reminded her that she had gotten off easy with just having to walk in the rain. If he had been truly angry with her, the voice said, Patrick would have done a lot worse.

Selena continued staring at Patrick's photograph. She scolded herself for not wearing a jacket that afternoon. The sweater she had thrown over her shoulders was useless in preventing her from becoming chilly in the rain. She scolded herself for getting into Michael's KITT and letting him take her home...letting Patrick's plan work. She continued to scold herself for still being with Patrick and going along with his plan in the first place. She had tried several times to get Patrick out of her personal life for good; but, too late she found out that he was not that easily gotten rid of. He had told her repeatedly that she was his to play with and used whatever means he could to keep her in line. Selena's mind became flooded with fear as she recalled his manipulations, games, and cruel jokes to keep her as his "Toy".  She recalled the incident that now bound her to him. It was after she had finally decided it was time to quit, leave Patrick, Judson International and Los Angeles forever. She had stood up to him in front of his father to make sure he didn't hurt her for trying to "betray him" as Patrick often accused her of...even when she thought she was in love with him. She told him that she hated the power he had over her even when they were intimate with each other. He was draining her very spirit. She could still feel both the shame and the pain of thinking she was in love with him and finding out she was nothing more to him than a "Toy", to be used any way, any time he wanted to. Patrick's father had hugged her, saying he understood even promising to provide her with a good reference and a bonus in her paycheck. She was surprised when Patrick joined his father in wishing her well. He had requested that she stay until they could find a new secretary. Selena could see the same request in her boss's eyes and could not refuse...though she regretted it later.

She remembered how Patrick got her to feel safe with him again. He had been a perfect gentleman with her while she began the process to hire her replacement. He had brought her flowers every day, little gifts of apology. She actually believed he had accepted her decision. Then came the day Patrick had asked her to go into his father's office safe and borrow some of the petty cash for him. Reluctantly Selena agreed; unaware that Patrick had videotaped her taking the money in order to blackmail her. He had showed up at her home and threatened to turn the tape over to the police and have her arrested if she did not cooperate with all of his secret, illegal activities. It was the first time she had been raped. She hated him but that tape kept her resigned to the fact that Patrick now owned her and she must do whatever he wanted. The first thing he made her do was apologize to his father for trying to desert the company. Then he used her investigative talents and the sexual talents he had nurtured in her for his purposes, for the people he wanted. She was to play the seductress whenever he wanted her to, for whomever he wanted. Michael Knight was only the next mark that Patrick wanted set up and out of the way for his new business venture. This time he had involved her in every step and she knew what they were doing was very illegal and very wrong. She hated herself a little more with each job she did for Patrick. She consoled herself, believing that what she was doing for Patrick wouldn't be hurting anyone. This was just going to be another of Patrick's dirty dealings and that the party involved was part of the scam. But after meeting Michael, she didn't feel right about what she had to do, no matter what Patrick had threatened her with.

These thoughts repeatedly played inside Selena's head when Patrick appeared in the doorway of his father's office. His presence pulled her from her imaginings as he requested that she come into his office. She watched him disappear back through the door that led to his office and thought, "I want out. Some how, I've got to get him to let me stop seeing Michael Knight...stop using him." After making sure that the phone would be taken care of, she grabbed her briefcase and followed him through his father's office to the door that lead to his office.  Once inside, Patrick held out a chair for Selena and she sat down. He sat on the edge of his desk in front of her and asked, "So, did allowing Mr. Knight paw at you profit us anything?"

Selena remarked, "He was a perfect gentleman. Why were you following us?"

Patrick ignored her remark and asked again, "Did you find out anything?"

Selena answered, "As you predicted, The Foundation is on to you. Michael was given background information yesterday."

"Did you get a good look at it?"

She pulled several folders out of her briefcase and said, "I brought you copies of the most damaging evidence that they've compiled. Patrick, they are going to a lot of trouble to stop your plans. They seem to know everything."

Patrick took the files from her and smiled confidently, "That is what you are for, my dear."

Recovering her resolve, Selena's began pleading, as Patrick paged through the files, "Obviously not, Patrick. Michael was suppose to begin his investigations now.  But he changed his plans and will instead be spending the entire weekend with the girls and me. I'm scared of what will happen on Monday.  From the things he's told me about his life, He's very good at his job.  I won't be able to keep away from you after that.  You have to cancel this whole thing."

"No." He responded, barely listening to her.

"Don't be unreasonable! Patrick, please. I don't want to go to jail! This whole thing has been a mistake from the beginning! We're betraying our country! What if someone gets hurt?  What if my sisters..."

"I think you need to worry about betraying me, Selena!" Patrick threw the files on his desk. He was angry at finding out that he was being spied on and now his favorite toy was also trying to betray him. He pulled her out of her chair and forced her to look at him. He demanded coolly, "It has only been my affection and my trust that you will be a good toy that has spared you and your precious sisters so far!" 

Selena recognized her error and his attitude. She knew that the calmer he sounded, the angrier and crueler he would become before exploding. Her shoulders were beginning to throb with pain under the pressure of his squeezing hands. She sighed, "That's not what I meant, Patrick."

"No, You were just planning to desert me when I need you the most!"

She whimpered out a feeble excuse, "I just don't want to hurt anyone."

Patrick replied, "Now do you see why I followed you! I don't trust you to follow the rules of the game! Whatever he promised you to convince you to betray me, Don't believe him! He can't protect you from me!" With each statement, he squeezed her shoulders tighter to emphasize his point.

Wincing, Selena sobbed, "I haven't told him anything! I swear!"  The more she tried to shake him loose, the harder he squeezed until she swooned against him, unable to stand the pain.

Roughly held her up and accused, in a vicious whisper to her ear, "You're lying to me! The two of you looked pretty cozy under those docks!"  His eyes imprisoned hers.  His voice becoming a malicious promise, "I think you need to be reminded of the rules of our game!  A visit from the Major perhaps?"

Fear out weighed her conscience in that moment and she knew that she had to back down. "Nothing happened! I was doing what you told me!"

He warned, "You'd better continue to do what you're told! You are my toy!" Holding her neck, his fingers tangled and pulling at the roots of the hair under her neck, he violently kissed her, bruising her lips. He turned her loose and ordered, "Now get out of my sight. I need to cool off. We'll talk about this again later. Go finish recording the RSVP's for the auction. My business partners need to know how many to prepare for on the island."

Selena hit her thigh in the arm of the chair where Patrick had thrown her. She gingerly rubbed her arms her eyes filled with unshed tears. She nodded to his instructions and edged out of the chair towards the door. Patrick watched her for a moment, contemplating how keep her in line. He regretted having her take care of Knight, but it was too late to change things. He picked up one of the files she had brought him and thought of a plan to make her follow the rules of the game. He called, "Selena, wait. I need you to come back over here for a moment."

Hesitantly, she complied and sat down in the chair by his desk again. Patrick pointed to a spot in front of the chair.  He ordered, "Stand there, Selena."  Quickly Selena rose to position he indicated, her head high but her eyes down.  She placed her hands behind her back.  Patrick refused to acknowledge her complete obeisance.  He circled her and began, "We obviously have a spy in the company."  He edged up to her back and said into her ear, "Someone stole these files."

Selena thought about Mr. Judson and knew that he might be responsible for giving the information to the Foundation. Swallowing anxiously, she asked, "What are you going to do when you find out who it is?"

Patrick replied ruthlessly, "I'm going to make an example of them, so that no more of my trusted staff betrays me."  He returned to a position in front of her, looked threateningly into her eyes, "But you don't have to worry your pretty head over that, do you, my Toy."  He straightened her hair, brushing it out of her face and requested, "But what you can do is provide me with a list of employees that have been with us for the last six months, especially those hired by my father."

Afraid to give him reason to hurt her again, she asked, "Is that all? Can I go?"

Patrick caught her desperate attempt to get away from him and remained calm. Gently he insisted that she stay next to him, caressing the bruises he had just created on her arms. He invaded her mind with his presence, his hands freely roaming the sides of her breasts before pulling her against him in a tight embrace. He lifted her chin instructing, "Please, My Toy, give me the list before you leave this afternoon. Don't forget to give me a call tonight to report on your day with Knight. Kiss me." Without waiting for her to comply, he captured her lips again, kissing her deeply. He grinned sadistically in her eyes, "See, My Toy, I can forgive you and we can be friends again. Be a Good Girl for me?" His eyes captured hers watching all the different emotions he stirred in her until he saw the one he wanted. Patrick was gratified to see her retreat in fear as she nodded in submission. He guided her to his door, kissing her hand and sent her out of the office.

On the other side of the door, Mr. Judson saw her come out pale and very frightened. He rose from behind his desk and came to her assistance, "What happened in there?" Then he noticed the fingerprints that bruised her upper arms.

Stunned at being caught after one of Patrick's attacks, she immediately hid her feelings and warned, "Please, Sir, just ignore this and get out of here before Patrick finds out what you've done." She glanced at Patrick's door to make sure it was safe and then she informed, "He knows about the Foundation..."

Knowing what she was referring to and how she was involved, he patted her hand as he replied, "I know what he knows and I can take care of myself, Child. But I must do my best to stop him."

"Then I guess we both must follow the paths we've chosen," she replied as she escaped from his sympathetic expression and out of his office. She sat down by her desk and began to work on the two tasks Patrick had assigned her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her friend Caiti come into her office. Caiti had been the only person she had confided to about Patrick and his antics. She was always there when she needed someone to talk to. This time, however, she thought it was too dangerous for Caiti to know what was going on. Smiling, she said, "Can't talk now, Caiti. Patrick wants me to finish this before going home for the day."

Caiti sat down in the chair in front of Selena's desk and said, "I just wanted to hear about your date yesterday with that Michael guy. Did it bother him about the girls?"

Selena was suddenly grateful that Caiti had bothered her after all. She could use some cheering up, something to take her mind off Patrick's attack on her. Wistfully, Selena let Michael's face come to her thoughts. He was so funny and gentle with her. She remembered him throwing her in the water and she smiled softly. Selena recalled, "He was wonderful, Caiti. He even got Jasmine to tag along and we went to the beach."

Caiti remarked, "I bet Patrick's not to thrilled that your having fun with his pigeon. After all he still considers you his favorite doll." When Selena gave her a dirty look, she said, "Anyway, are you gonna go out with him again?"

Selena replied in a hushing tone, "Caiti, you are not suppose to know why I'm dating Michael. If Patrick finds out we'll both be in a lot of trouble."

Caiti detected the frightened warning and knew that something had gone wrong. She asked, "I was only joking, Sal. But something's happened, hasn't it?"

Selena tried to get out of explaining by saying, "No, that's not it. I just don't want to get him angry."

When Selena refused to look Caiti in the eyes, Caiti knew her instincts were correct. She stood up and tried to embrace her friend; but, Selena winced and pulled away when her fingers touched her upper arms. Lifting up Selena's sleeve, Caiti found the marks that Patrick had left behind. She grabbed Selena's hand and said, "Come with me. We need to talk."

Selena remained passive and allowed Caiti to take her into the women's restroom. She remained silent as they walked, while Caiti arranged for someone to cover for them before reaching their destination. Once inside the restroom, Selena broke down and began to softly cry, "Oh, Caiti. I've made such a mess of things. I don't know what to do. Patrick's made me be his prostitute, spy, his thief, and now he wants me to find out who's betrayed him. How can I do that when I know what he's capable of?"

Caiti soothed, "Selena, don't do this to yourself. You have got to get away from him."

Selena rejected, "I tried. That's why I have these!" She showed Caiti her bruises again.

Caiti face reflected her opinion but she offered, "Wait here, I'll be right back." She grabbed some paper towels from the bathroom's dispenser and left the bathroom for a moment. When she returned, she held several ice cubes wrapped in the paper towels in her hands. She ordered, "Hold this against your arm." After Selena complied, Caiti took a deep breath and suggested, "Why don't you confide in this Knight person?" She carefully monitored Selena's reactions.

During the time that Caiti had taken to get the ice, Selena had time to think and calm herself down a bit. She miserably argued, "I can't. I'd lose my sisters for sure. Patrick would show the Foundation that video tape and pin everything on me; after of course, he punished me for playing the game."

Caiti countered with frustration, "I wish you would stop referring to this as a game, Selena. He won't just make you 'not pass go, not collect $200'."

Selena laughed at Caiti's reference, "I know that, Caiti. But Patrick doesn't and I wish that was all he could do."

Caiti reiterated, "Then tell Michael Knight!"

"No, Caiti. I have to find a way to protect everyone involved from getting hurt or worse."

Caiti argued, "You can't protect everyone by yourself."

"I must try and Patrick must never know." Taking the cold, wet paper towel, she washed the tears from her face and said, "I should get back before Patrick misses me." She took Caiti's hand and warned, "Please, Caiti, forget this conversation. Thank you for listening, but just forget what you've heard." Before Caiti could say anymore, Selena slipped out of the restroom and returned to the tasks Patrick had assigned her. Her thoughts, however, betrayed her as she continued to think about Caiti's advice.

On the other side of town, Michael was staking out Edward's Air force Base waiting for Devon to arrive. He watched a blue Mercedes drive through the gate and recognized the driver. He reached over to the dashboard and began to flip through some of the files that Devon had given him the day before. As his intuition had warned him, he found Judson International and Selena's boyfriend splattered throughout the file. He asked "KITT" to contact Devon. A few seconds later, KITT let Michael know that Devon was on his way to meet him and they would talk when he got there. Still puzzled by what he had read and how it might pertain to Selena, he instructed KITT to investigate and monitor the Mercedes. KITT confirmed that the car did belong to Patrick Judson. He further informed him that the car was parked in front of the administration building on the air force base. Then he informed him that The Knight Industries' semi-truck was coming up behind them. Michael gave up his post and drove KITT into the semi. Upon getting out of KITT, he met Devon by the computers and asked, "Why are we going after Judson International?"

Devon responded, "About a year and half ago, my friend Patrick Judson SR. suffered a heart attack and was forced to sign control of his company to his son, Patrick. When he was finally able to return to work, he found that Patrick had instituted some new company objectives and forced Patrick Sr. to share control of the company. At that time, Patrick Sr. came to me and asked me to put one of our operatives in his company in order to keep an eye on Patrick. He suspected that Patrick had involved him, his employees, and his company in something illegal and dangerous."

Michael asked, "So, what is the Foundation's connection to Judson International?"

Devon answered, "Some of KITT's designs and programs came from Judson. They still have, in their files, copies of KITT's blueprints."

Michael asked, "Why are you stepping up the investigation?"

"My spy has uncovered some very disturbing information about Patrick. She warned me that he is very dangerous and violent. His present girl-friend is so afraid of him that he's been able to make her perform certain tasks to help him, including illegal ones."

Instantly Michael knew the person Devon was referring to. He wondered if he should tell Selena about his investigation. Then he remembered her passionate promise of protecting her sisters no matter what the cost. The thought that their introduction was not accidental disturbed him.  He planned to get her to confide in him before telling her that he was after her boyfriend. He said, "Devon, are you going to be at the Foundation later today?"

"I guess, why?"

"Because there is someone I'd like you to meet. She has two younger sisters and I'd like to take them swimming, if you don't mind?"

Devon smiled, "A new tactic, Michael?"

Michael grinned, "You could say that, Devon." He got back into KITT and drove towards Selena's house to pick her up for lunch.

When he arrived, Tina opened the door for him and yelled to Selena. Selena came down the stairs still dressed in the dress she had worn to work. She carried a pair of blue jeans; a pink, short-sleeve T-shirt; and a light blue men's dress shirt with the sleeves in permanent roll-up. Afraid Michael might see her bruised arms, she quickly said, "I'll be with you in a moment, Michael. I've got to change my clothes."

Michael suggested, "Don't worry about that. Just bring a bathing suit and a change of clothes in a bag for later."

Tina asked, "I thought we were going shopping?"

Jasmine added, "Are we going to the beach again?"

Michael explained, "We are still going shopping. But then I am taking you all to a friend's place to swim in his pool. Is that OK, Selena?"

"I guess, Michael, but I still need to change."

Jasmine had been waiting for an opportunity to tell Michael about Selena's arms and see if he bought her flimsy story too. She said, "Oh, she's just afraid you'll find out how clumsy she is."

Selena replied, "Jasmine, please take Tina and go get your things together." She came down the stairs and gently pointed Jasmine back up.

Jasmine hollered down, "Do you want me to get your suit too, or will you be afraid your arms will show?"

Selena gave Jasmine a dirty look that followed the Teen up the stairs. She turned around to face Michael afraid that her sister had left him with some unanswered questions.

Michael, on the other hand, had seen the apprehension in Selena's eyes and knew she would be reluctant to tell him the truth. He decided to ask the question that Jasmine wanted him to ask, but if Selena put up a wall, he would accept whatever she told him for the moment. He waited for her to sit down; which she did, as far away from him as she could get without being rude. She laid her clothes in the spot between them. He watched her with interest as he asked, "What's Jasmine talking about?"

Selena laughed in embarrassment, "Nothing. She's just playing a prank on you."

"Oh good. Then you won't need to change and we can get going. I've got a lot planned for today." The girls came down the stairs carrying a bag of things that they would need and they were on their way.

They drove into the city to shop and visit a couple of art galleries that Michael knew about. Upon stopping at a small gallery, Michael introduced Jasmine to the owner, who was a friend of his. The woman took the girls on a tour while Michael and Selena stood in the background and watched. During their visit, Selena excused herself and went outside to where KITT was parked. She pulled out the duffle bag that she and the girls had put their clothes in; and, after rummaging through it; she pulled out the files that she had stolen the day before. She neatly placed them under the passenger seat and returned to Michael's side believing that she had accomplished her task unnoticed. Michael, however, had wanted to keep an eye on her and watched her replace the files. He knew then that he would have to ask her about her actions as soon as they were alone. He pretended that nothing was wrong for the moment.

Later, when the tour was over, KITT took them to a place to eat. As they left the curb, both Selena and Michael noticed that someone was following them...Selena knew it to be one of Patrick's "special friends". Michael observed her tense and nervous reaction.  Her sisters were engaged in lively, cheerful conversation, yet she seemed to find it difficult to participate. Upon turning the corner, Michael programmed KITT to interfere with the intruder's engine causing him to have to pull over while they continued on to the restaurant.

After they had been seated and lunch was just about over with, Michael leaned back in the booth and attempted to reach around Selena to lay his arm behind her back. As he began the stretch up and out, his elbow connected with Selena's arm causing her to wince.  In reflex she protectively grabbed her upper arm.  A small whimper forced it's way pass her tightly closed lips and clenched teeth. She tried to pull down her sleeve, which had been pushed up in the incident. Michael saw Selena's horrified expression and immediately talked Jasmine into taking Tina to a nearby arcade. When they were gone, Selena got up and moved to sit across from Michael. She felt the need to put some space between them; it felt too good to have him so close and sympathetic. She tried to finish her lunch, but Michael's words stopped her. He had let her get comfortable and then reached across the table, lifted her chin so that her eyes met his, and asked, "What is wrong, Selena?"

Selena evaded, "Nothing. You just hit me too hard."

Michael pushed, as he lifted her sleeve revealing Patrick's fingerprints still dark purple, blue, and red, "I did not do this, Selena. Who did?"

Selena wiggled and sat back against the booth away from him. Her eyes dropped down, as her hand pulled her sleeve down self-conscientiously. She lied, "I know you didn't, Michael. I slipped in my boss's office. He caught me, trying to prevent me from landing on the ground. I guess he held on too tightly. You..." 

Michael shook his head in disbelief. He said, "You did not get those from someone trying to help you, Selena. They are a matched set of someone's fingerprints squeezing your arms! Now who did this to you and why?" 

Selena could not tell him the truth. She could see in her head images of what Patrick would do to her, to her sisters, or to Michael if she did. She took a deep breath and replied, "Please don't ask questions I can't answer, Michael...or," her voice became very quiet, "or...I might get more of them."

Michael knew she was fighting the need to confide in him, but he would have to push her a little more. He asked, "OK, then explain what you were doing with those files you tried to hide under my seat?"

Selena's eyes flew to meet his searching ones, the shock of being caught evident. She thought a moment, "OK, girlfriend, let's hope a little half-truth will satisfy him." Then she offered, "I...umm...work for the company that you are going to be investigating. I found those files yesterday while you were in the gas station. I wasn't sure what to do with them, so I stole them." 

Michael nodded, "So what was so bad that made you not want me to see them?"

Evading his gaze, Selena answered, "Information about me that...that isn't very favorable."

He wanted to hold her hand, but she remained frozen in the booth across from him with her arms crossed over her chest in protection. She had put up a wall and he knew he needed to make it fall if he were to get more out of her. He returned, "You could have just told me, Selena. I can help you. Will you let me?"

Selena noticed Tina come down the walkway toward them and immediately blanked her face of any emotion. She asked, "Tina, what's wrong?"

Tina shrugged, "Nothing. We just need more money."

Selena opened her purse and fished out a twenty-dollar bill. As she gave it to her sister and Tina's hand touched hers to get it, Patrick's voice sounded in her head. She watched Tina walk away from their table and then looked back at Michael. She sighed, suddenly tired, "Look, Mr. Knight. I've answered your questions about the files. Please, Please don't ask me anything else."

Michael heard the formal tone of her voice. She was trying to steel herself breaking down in front of him. Michael insisted, "Selena, please talk to me! I can protect you."

Selena almost cried in cynicism, "No one can protect me from Patrick." Seeing that Michael was not going to give up that easily, she bit her lip, took a deep breath, and then half-warned, half-confided, "Do you know why I got these bruises! It was because I told him I wanted out! I know too much. He will never let me go without it costing me a price I'm not willing to pay! I could lose everything...some things even I am now realizing."

"How deeply involved are you?"

Michael had taken the opportunity she had given him when she reached for a glass of water to take her hand in his. But she did not want his sympathy; she had not wanted to tell him the things she had already told him. But now that she had already begun her confession, she figured she might as well give him a little more...maybe he'd back off when he saw how powerful Patrick was. She already knew Patrick was going to be pissed at her for breaking her cover but now Michael would be free to continue going after him. She knew Michael would never want to see her again. That thought hurt more than she cared to admit, but she refused to think about that as she plunged in, "Ok, you want to know how deeply I'm involved! I'll tell you! I know everything there is to know about Patrick's special games. See, when Patrick took control of the company, I became his private secretary and private meant in the office and out of it. I became his girlfriend. This put me into a position to know things, so Patrick arranged for me to do certain things for him that I am not very proud of. I found out later that he did this to insure my cooperation and silence. So, Mr. Knight, for the sake of my sisters, for the sake of my sanity, and for the sake of my life, I plan to remain silent. Look, I understand if you never want to see me again. My sisters and I thank you for a wonderful time. We'll catch a cab home." She stood up to leave, not wanting to be so vulnerable, knowing all the while that Patrick would not be happy with her.

There was distress and anger at being used in Selena's voice. It disturbed Michael and he pulled her to sit next to him before she could walk away. He got her to look at him and soothed, "Please don't leave, Selena. I promise I won't ask any more questions about your company or Judson. I want to continue our afternoon. We were having a good time." He held her chin and when she looked at him, he expressed, "But remember this, if you ever want to tell me the rest and you decide you want to help put Patrick away where he can't hurt you, I'll be here waiting to listen and to help. And I will be going after him regardless."

Selena was afraid to speak or to move. His gaze was so intense towards her. There was a strength there too that she once had. She didn't understand why he was still willing to help her, nor she did believe that he could yet. Then as her eyes questioned his sincerity, he kissed her very tenderly, to comfort her and reassure her, because he wanted her to feel safe with him.  Michael did not give Selena a chance to react to his kiss. He helped her out of their booth, paid the bill and took her by the hand to find her sisters.

 They resumed their trip with Michael driving to the Foundation's mansion. As they drove up to the main house, he requested that everyone keep the noise down so that they wouldn't disturb anyone. Upon parking in the rear of the mansion away from the property's guest cottages, Michael escorted them to the main office to meet Devon and Bonnie. Selena's sisters made an immediate impression on Devon and Bonnie. Devon informed Michael that he needed to speak with him and offered Selena and her sisters the use of the mansion's pool. Bonnie asked the girls to follow her and Michael led Selena to a room of her own where she could change into her swimsuit. Then he went to change also.

When they met again, they found the office deserted. Michael was slightly disappointed to find Selena dressed in a swimsuit cover-up that prevented him from seeing her in her bathing suit. He teased her about it even though he knew she had dressed so conservatively to hide her arms...at least that is what he thought. Splitting up, they went in search of the people they had left behind. Michael looked in the inner offices, while Selena looked outside. After peering through the terrace door's curtains, she slightly pushed them open. "Michael," she called, "I found them."

Michael followed her out to the patio where Devon and Bonnie were sitting, watching the girls already swimming ahead of them. Tina scrambled for the pool's side as soon a she saw Selena. Selena grabbed a towel, threw it at Tina and asked, "Are you enjoying the swim?"

They went back to the pool together while Tina thanked Selena for the perfect day she was having. Jasmine echoed Tina's enthusiasm, but added an invitation for Selena to join them. Selena agreed. She took a deep breath, hoping that Michael was not watching her as she shed her cover-up revealing a royal blue one-piece suit that flared into a twirling mini-skirt just above her thighs. She became determined to forget about her troubles and jumped into the water where she played together with Jasmine and Tina for a long time. Michael joined them for a little bit tossing Tina and Jasmine into the deep end of the water. They played a little water-volleyball. Selena and Michael laughed at each other as they collided while trying to beat each other to the ball. Selena swam for the shallow end, taking the ball with her. She tried to reach the cement stairs before Michael could catch her. 

Michael broke for the shallow end and stood to walk the rest of the way. Her sexy strut mesmerized him as she rose up the stairs. But his interest faded as he again saw her arms with the fingerprints still banded like a ring. Then her back came into his eyesight. Selena was laughing, she turned and held out the ball as if teasing him, daring him to take it from her. Her eyes met his angry ones...the smile she had enjoyed getting from him had faded. Then she realized what he had seen on her back that distressed him. The evidence of Patrick's repeated abuse was across her back.  Her back was his favorite "target" because it was the easiest place to disguise and hide.  The most recent were the marks left by Patrick the day before he forced her to go to the restaurant to meet Michael Knight. They were from the same attack that Tina had witnessed. Then there was the tiny tattoo that Patrick had imprinted on her skin the day after he'd produced the video of her stealing from his father. It was the queen from game of chess, under it was written "PJ's Toy". He had "branded" her his property with that mark.  The memory of getting it was the most horrific of all her nightmares.  To her small relief, Michael had not yet seen her bruised thighs, for they were still under the water. Selena's face became alive with conflicting emotions.  Her tanned skin reddened under Michael's intense scrutiny.  She was embarrassed and ashamed of anyone let a lone Michael Knight finding out her horrible secret. She quickly scanned the deep end of the pool where Tina and Jasmine still played. They had not noticed the sudden change between Michael and her. Michael gently, but firmly approached Selena. He reached out to her, wanting to ask...to convince her to talk to him, but she shied away from him, her eyes squinting as if she expected him to hit her too. That reaction shocked both Selena and Michael. She had never been afraid of anyone but Patrick like that. Then again, she had never seen anger in anyone else's eyes before...like she was now seeing in Michael. She did not realize that his anger was at the man who abused her so easily. 

Michael lifted her face to his and looked into her eyes pleading with her to talk to him. The silence between them was deafening. Michael again saw the submissive, timid deer from the restaurant and now knew the reason why. He could see the little girl inside her begging for someone to rescue her, but certain that no one could. He could also see the self-assured, independent woman who had taken the responsibility of raising her teenage sisters and was successful at it. She had been on her own and still trying to prove to that social worker that she could survive. He was both angry and awed by her. He wanted to talk to her, to get her to trust him enough to let him help her. He wanted to lock her up in a room of the Foundation's mansion and keep her there until he could kill Patrick Judson. He tried to break the silence between them but Devon interrupted asking Michael to patio with Bonnie. Michael's face became stern with resignation and frustration. He said, "We need to talk about this soon." He kissed her cheek as gently as he could, tasting the salt from the tears that had finally broken free from her tight control. He walked past her, seeking a towel while striding to the patio.

Selena's legs had become jelly. She had seen in Michael the rage she herself had felt each time she had succumbed to the fear Patrick instilled in her with his abuse, each time she did not do something about it...leave him for good. She hugged the ball closer to her body, trying to fight off the urge to run to Michael and tell him everything she knew...all Patrick was doing both to her and against the law. She put her thoughts on the back burner again watching to see if her sisters had seen the display between herself and Michael. She found Jasmine watching her, studying her, reflecting the same fear and anger she felt.

In that moment, Selena had become very worn out and decided it was time to play referee. As the girls swam to the opposite side of the pool, she put her cover-up back on and sat down along the edge where she dangled her legs into the water. Voices from the patio reached her ears and she heard Devon ask Michael if he had found out anything further on Judson International. She tried to ignore them; but, when she got up to get a glass of lemonade for herself and her sisters, her curiosity about Patrick prevented her from blocking out their voices.

From the table on the patio, Michael watched her and knew that she was eavesdropping. He wanted to influence her to talk to him and Devon, so he got up to get himself some lemonade also as he asked, "So, what is this Judson character after?" Sipping his drink, he grabbed a chair next to Bonnie and sat down.

Devon informed, "As I explained to you before, Michael, Judson is in the business of designing computer systems for companies around the world; including, I might add, defense systems for different countries, The United States, and The Foundation...some of KITT'S system were designed and programmed by them. When Patrick SR. was running the company, it was responsible for many highly classified projects and enjoyed top priority clearance."

Michael shrugged, "So what's the big deal?"

Devon continued, "That is what I need you to find out. When Patrick took over and Patrick SR. asked me to keep an eye on things for him, I sent one of our female representatives to work in the office." Selena heard Devon's comment as she was loading the tray with filled glasses. She was preparing to pick up the tray as she waited to hear who had gotten him the information. Devon continued, "She told me that Patrick has arranged to do some work for the military. It involves several highly dangerous laser and chemical weapons. Caiti also told me..."

Hearing Caiti's name frightened Selena throwing her into shock as she mentally recalled the list of employees that had been hired recently. Nausea overwhelmed her as she reminded herself that she had already given the list to Patrick before leaving that afternoon. A crash of glass sounded around her as panic rose. She realized that Patrick now knew who had betrayed him, and she condemned herself for anything he might do to her friend. Silent tears filled her eyes; and, as she gazed into a pair of sympathetic eyes that pleaded for her trust, she whispered, "Oh My God! What have I done! Caiti's my friend."

Michael had been watching Selena during Devon's narrative. He knew she was becoming distressed, but was unprepared for the sudden shatter of crystal and splatter of lemonade when she dropped the tray in anguish. Both he and Devon jumped up to help her. Michael tried to prevent her from cutting herself by leading her back to the table. When she had finally looked at him, he felt her shaking with terror. After directing someone to clean up the mess, Devon came back with a towel in time to hear Selena's incomplete confession. He looked at Michael and started to ask, "What is she talking about?"

From deep within where she had retreated until she could control her hysteria, Selena heard Devon's question and prepared herself for Michael's explanation. He requested, "Bonnie, please go prevent Selena's sisters from coming up here? Tell them that everything is all right." Bonnie agreed and went off to take care of them as asked. Michael continued, "Devon, Selena is involved with the company we're investigating."

Taking another look at the woman before him, recognition appeared in Devon's eyes. He said, "You are Patrick SR.'s secretary. We've met before. Now I know why you seemed familiar to me."

"Unfortunately, Mr. Miles, I became Patrick Jr's secretary also," replied Selena quietly calming down. She looked to Michael for strength. She then turned back to Devon and pleaded, "But I want out and I don't know how to get out. I've done something so horrible...I need to stop it...you have to stop it from happening."

Devon sat in a chair next to Selena and gently put his hand on her shoulder in encouragement, "Just tell me what you know."

Michael interjected, "Devon, why don't you just continue to tell me what you know and then Selena can fill in the pieces when she can." He knew it would be hard for her to tell everything she knew, but if she was prompted, it might be easier. She looked at him with trust and nodded when he asked, "Will that be OK?"

Devon continued, "The designs for the weapons that Judson was working on have been stolen. We believe Patrick plans to steal the weapons as well and then auction them off to the highest bidder."

Softly looking anywhere but at Devon and Michael, Selena bit her lip and added, "Patrick didn't steel them, Devon. I did. Patrick arranged for me to get them. I have been helping to arrange that auction. You should see the list of people coming. It is very impressive. Every terrorist, mercenary, and corrupt dictator will either be there or represented. But how did you find out about that?" She was hoping that she had heard wrong and that Caiti was not the Foundation's spy.

Devon replied, "It was announced in an advertisement in a foreign newspaper. A friend of mine brought it to my attention."

During this time, Bonnie had come up and heard the tale end of their conversation. When she heard Selena adding information to Devon's story, she inquired, "If you knew what was going on, why didn't you go to the police?"

Again fear crept into her eyes as she thought about her and her sister's safety. She took a deep breath and admitted, "I am very scared. Patrick convinced me that no one would believe me. Even if they did, I would be the one going to jail, he would make sure of that. That was why he directed me to make all the necessary arrangements, steal those designs. Anyone involved outside of his circle that was a risk of turning him in, I was their contact. After a while, I didn't know what to be afraid of more...going to the authorities or Patrick finding out. I had no idea The Foundation had installed someone to investigate him...that Patrick SR..."  Frightening images invaded her mind causing her to rethink what she was about to do.  Her hands moved frantically with her words, her fists clenching and unclenching, "NO, I can't!"  She closed her eyes, roughly running her fingers through her hair in frustration, "I've helped the law before and I almost lost everything for my cooperation. My sisters had to be sent away from me until after the trial was over and those people went away. Even then I feared for our lives for months afterwards. I had to fight social services all over again to keep them from going to foster homes! This time I want you to guarantee their safety before I go any further. If Patrick knows he's lost me they will be the first thing he goes after." She looked from Michael to Devon and swore, "I have to protect them."

The desperation in her voice elicited a desire for Michael to want to protect and reassure her. He squeezed her hand for support, "Selena, how did he force you to work for him and keep silent? Why are you afraid of him?" Michael knew the answer, but he wanted to make her say it...make her confess that she was being abused.

Selena knew what he was suggesting and half-answered, "Nothing..." She avoided looking at him directly, "I mean...It is like I said before. When I tried to leave him, quit; even threatening to turn him in, he made an insurance policy...a video. He threatened to take my sisters away from me. He said he would make sure they were sent to separate foster homes where I would never see them again. He's manufactured evidence that would prove that I'm an unfit guardian and even might send me to jail. Then, after I began doing his little tasks for this project and others, he had more than he needed to send me to prison for a very long time."

"Well, My dear, you will never have to worry about that." Devon promised, "Patrick won't be able to touch you with the Foundation behind you. Now Please, tell me what you know about Patrick's plans."

Selena took a deep breath, knowing that she must continue if she was going to save Caiti and Mr. Judson from Patrick's wrath. She told Devon how Patrick had involved the company in his illegal schemes. She informed him about the new contracts that Patrick had arranged. How he was planning to steal the funds raised from them and then auction the merchandise. Patrick's greedy mind planned to make his customers pay more money by having to compete with other prospective buyers. She told him how the auction was set up and that she could supply Devon with a guest list from Judson's computer files.

Devon asked, "Can you arrange for Michael to get an invitation?"

Selena replied, "Normally I would be able to, but Patrick and his partners know who Michael is from our dealings with the Foundation." She revealed that she had been sent by Patrick to keep Michael busy, that their meeting at the restaurant was not an accident. She lowered her eyes afraid of Michael's reaction, yet hoping he did not hate her. She continued, "Patrick was furious after having watched us together at the beach yesterday. He's been afraid that Michael will try to convince me to talk to you. His worries were confirmed this afternoon when I again tried to quit, tried to get away from him." She gently hugged herself and asked, "Devon, how did you manage to acquire all the information in those files. Some of those reports that you gave Michael were ones that I had done for Mr. Judson when I first began working for him. I need to know who gave them to you."

Devon, not realizing that she had already heard Caiti's name mentioned, stated, "I'm not at liberty to say right now. You did the investigating for those files?" Devon recalled the excellent work he had found in the files. He was impressed with Selena's investigative talents.

Selena, not wanting to get away from the subject, pressured, "You don't understand, Devon. You don't realize how much danger Caiti is in! Please find her." She trembled as she admitted, "This morning I gave Patrick a list of employees who had been hired by his father in the last six months. Patrick will be able to figure out that it was Caiti who betrayed him. You don't have much time."

Bonnie questioned worriedly, for Caiti was a friend of hers also, "Will he kill her, Selena?"

Selena answered with an eerie warning, "Not right away. But death will be a welcome choice after he's through making her play one of his chess or hunting games."

The surety of Selena's description disturbed Michael and Bonnie. But Bonnie beat him to the question, "He's never attacked you, has he?"

Michael thought back to the day when he met both Selena and Patrick. In his head he could still clearly picture the bruises on her arms, the marks on her back that he'd seen by the pool. Now as she sat there, faced with having to answer the question that he had been trying to force her to answer all afternoon, he waited for her to try to lie again. And even though she knew that Michael knew the truth, she folded her hands together as she replied, "No...not like that...I mean...not exactly..."

Michael blew up. He stood up and pulled Selena out of her chair to stand in front of him. He pulled her swimsuit jacket off her body and said, "Stop it! Selena! He's never attacked you? What is this? Just a little tiff." He turned her around to see evidence of someone pummeling her back with some kind of crop. Then he produced the tattoo peeking out from under her shoulder-length hair. He looked down at her thighs, finding the dark lines of bruises that had been left when she hit the side of the chair that morning and yelled, "and I suppose you just bruise easy, right?"

Devon came to Selena's rescue pushing Michael away from her shaking form. Bonnie found Selena's cover up and helped to pull it back over her shoulders. She took Selena away from Michael as Devon held him back. It was obvious that Selena was terrified of Patrick and, up until now, had not known where to turn for help. Devon cautioned, "Michael, calm down. Miss Kirk has been bullied around by men enough, including you."

Bonnie held Selena's chair and then joined her back at the table. Avoiding Michael's eyes, Selena minimized, "Yes, Patrick has pushed me around a few times. But believe me when I tell you that I have been lucky. I learned early on in our relationship not to get him angry. As I've told you, I have tried to leave him several times. But...ummm...when Patrick showed up with the tape of me stealing for him, he also brought another tape of what had happened to his last girlfriend as part of his warning. She wasn't so lucky."

Michael was having a hard time controlling his temper with each detail. He paced back and forth next to Devon. Devon needed to get the information he needed from Selena before she changed her mind. He held her hand, calmly sitting beside her and prompted, "I know this is hard for you, my dear, so take your time." He glared at Michael to settle down.

Grateful for his caring attitude, she continued, "She ended up in a hospital: raped, broken and beaten. It was rumored that he had arranged a hunt on his estate and she was...she was what he and his friends hunted...his...his prey. I can't even describe how they tortured her. She conveniently disappeared from the hospital. No one knows where she is." Selena replayed details of being forced to watch that tape while bound in a kneeling position on the floor of her bedroom between torture sessions of being repeatedly raped her in her head. She could still see the sexual excitement that Patrick had while watching that tape. She kept those details to herself, still feeling like she was some how responsible for it. She also sensed that Michael was so angry that he might go after Patrick and get killed too. 

Instead, she looked down at her hands visions of the rope still around them and again felt the pain of getting her tattoo.  His voice sounded in her ears, "I own you now, Toy!"  Closing her eyes to memories, she whispered in despair, "He finally got it into my head that it was too late for me to fight him." Looking at Devon fiercely, she pleaded, "Do you see why you have to send her some help. If Patrick knows about his father's involvement, you can be sure he will not spare him just because he is his father, especially when he finds out I betrayed him too." Unable to continue, she escaped out of her chair and ran toward the pool. She discarded her cover-up and jumped into the water with her sisters. She was very careful not to let them know what was going on.

Michael attempted to follow her, but Bonnie held him back. She sensed that Selena needed time to pull herself together. She figured that spending time with her sisters would help her to do just that. Devon provided a vent for Michael's anger by sending him on an errand. When he felt sure Selena had a chance to heal a bit, he sent her and Bonnie into the office to work on getting the information she knew out of Judson's computer banks.

An hour later, the sun began its descent into the Pacific Ocean. During the time that Michael had been out; Devon, Jasmine and Tina had joined Bonnie and Selena in the office. The Kirk sisters had changed from their bathing suits to comfortable jeans and pullovers. The two girls had challenged Devon to a game of chess. When Michael returned, the game was changed to backgammon and he took over for Devon. Devon checked on Bonnie and Selena's progress in attaining the information they needed. Slumping back into her chair, Selena conceded, "We're not going to get through this way. I've done everything I can. I just don't understand why I can't get into that last program."

Bonnie asked, "Could he have installed a firewall to prevent outside infiltration?"

Selena shook her head negatively and Devon suggested, "Could he have changed the password so you couldn't get back in?"

Selena rubbed her eyes tiredly, "He still thinks I'm too terrified to betray him."

Bonnie snapped her fingers and said, "What if he took the information out of the computer and stored on separate disks. That way he'd be sure that only he could have access to it."

After thinking a minute, Selena banged her head against the computer screen. She sat up and scolded herself, "I am so stupid. I remember now. Patrick put up a three-fold system of passwords before getting access to the program. He always made sure the program was up and running when He needed me to do projects for him with the program. I learned the first password when I found it accidentally in a locked drawer in Patrick's desk. The rest of it has got to be there." Sitting back again, she laid her hand on the keyboard and sighed, "Now we can do nothing until morning." She left the desk and went to settle down into a cushioned, nutmeg colored easy chair by Michael and Jasmine. She watched them rolling the dice fiercely. They were in the middle of a two out of three backgammon match that was tied. Weary in both body and mind from the day's events, she attempted to close her eye for just a second. She noticed Tina curled up in another easy chair fast asleep. Clearing her throat, she announced, "Michael, I think it is time you took us home."

Devon offered, "Selena, I'd like you and your sisters to stay here for the night."

Selena declined, "I wish we could, Devon, but I have to work in the morning, Jasmine has art class and Tina's suppose to go to meet with her friends for a special 'no school' program."

He persisted, "They can still do that, Selena. But I would feel better if you were where I could fully protect you. Isn't that what you asked me to do?"

Selena replied, "Yes, but..."

Devon revealed, "I didn't want to tell you this, but I did as you asked and sent Michael to find Caiti. She's disappeared from her apartment." Before Selena could panic, Devon soothed, "Now we don't know what's happened. She told me last week that she was thinking about visiting her parents in Laguna Beach. We're checking that out now."

Selena hung on to that hope as she remembered, "She told me that too." Underneath, however, she knew the truth and began to feel something besides fear of Patrick. She was tired of being tormented and watching the people she cared about sacrificed for Patrick's games. This aroused a feeling of rage inside that made her want to shake Patrick's control over her.

Unaware of her lust for revenge, Devon regained her attention, "Nevertheless, Selena, I don't want to take any chances. You could also be in serious danger if Judson finds out that you're working for us."

Selena affirmed, "I see your point, Devon. The girls should stay here. But if I am going to continue to fool Patrick into thinking that I'm still on his side, then I have to go home. He has ordered me to call him tonight after Michael drops me off. I'm sure he's having my house watched, especially since his men couldn't keep up with us this afternoon."

Bonnie remarked, "I agree, Devon. He would get suspicious if she never came home."

Michael asked, "Are you sure you'll be all right?"

Selena replied with a new found confidence, "I'd better be, otherwise, I'm no good to you and I want to bring him down."

Michael reassured, "I'll be close by to make sure that there's no trouble."

Selena asked, before anyone had a chance to change their minds, "Now, show me where my girls will be camping out for the night." Michael led her and her sisters to the room that they had used earlier to change in. He left them alone so Selena could explain what was happening to them. Jasmine promised to take care of Tina and not to worry. They hugged and Selena kissed an already unconscious Tina. When she was sure they were settled, she met Michael in the corridor and asked, "Is there a phone I can use in private?"

Michael showed her into another office and left her alone. Drawing up the receiver, she dialed a number; waited for someone to answer; then hung up the line. Quickly she dialed again. After it rang a few times, a woman's voice answered, "Good evening, Judson residence."

"Is Patrick there?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Judson has gone out for the evening. May I ask who is calling?"

"This is Selena Kirk. Patrick has been expecting my call and I can't seem to find him. Did he say where he was going?"

"No, can I take a message?"

"Please. Just ask him to call me when he gets home." She thanked the woman and hung up. Quietly she placed the receiver back into its cradle and joined Michael in the main corridor. As she walked, she thought of a way to get the information that Devon needed. She knew Michael would never agree to her plan if he had a chance to think it over, so she came up with an idea of how to convince him to do it. She smiled at him, "All done. What's next?"

Michael shrugged, as they got closer to the stairs that lead to the exit, "We could get something to eat before I take you home?"

"Sounds good." She felt energetic and dared, "But first, I'll race ya to KITT." She edged her way toward the stairway, one small step at a time.

Not realizing how much of a head start she had on him, Michael accepted, "You're on!"

Selena turned, "Ready, Set, Go!" and clamored down the steps two at a time, with Michael not far behind. She shouted behind her, "Come on, slow poke! Oh by the way, first to KITT drives!" Upon reaching the final ten steps, she jumped up onto the banister and slid down the rest of the way. She made a face at Michael and triumphantly dashed out the door.

Michael shouted, "Hey! You cheated!" as he jumped the last five steps to catch up to her. Outside Selena flashed a wide grin at KITT and excitedly declared, "I win! KITT, let me in!"

Never missing an opportunity to harass his friend, KITT obliged. The ebony door opened up allowing Selena to slide in comfortably. As Michael reached them, KITT shut the door forcing him to get in on the passenger side. On the road, Selena gloated, "What's wrong, Mr. Knight? Losing your speed?"

Michael countered, "It was only one race, Selena. Besides, you cheated."

KITT teased, "Excuses, Excuses!"

Selena tisked, "Aw! Well, I won't tell anyone that I beat you. I wouldn't want anyone to think you'd lost your hero image." She flashed him one of her best sarcastic grins.

KITT jibed, "Neither will I, Michael. Although..."

Michael pretended to be hurt, "Hey, you stay out of this! Buddy! Some friend you are!" He heard a giggle escape Selena and they both looked at each other. He joined her laughter, "With both of you against me I guess I didn't stand a chance."

Selena laid her hand over his, squeezing it slightly. She comforted, "Poor baby. How 'bout you sit here and sulk while I take care of this errand?"

Looking around, Michael asked, "What? Where?" He soon recognized that they were parked in front of Judson International.

"I'm going to get that information Devon needs on the auction." She explained, "No one's here, so it is the perfect time to search Patrick's office."

Michael protested, "You're not going up there. It is just too dangerous! What if you get caught?"

She produced a set of keys saying, "I have these. They will open any room in the building. What could go wrong?" When she saw Michael's apprehension, she grabbed his hand and said, "Come on. I do work here, remember?"

Michael would not let go of her hand when she tried to pull away. He said, "You've never done anything like this before. Please let me be the detective. You are too involved as it is."

Selena pushed, "Michael, yes I have done things like this before. How do you think I got the information for those files? Plus, I hate to say this, but Patrick has been an excellent teacher in subversive activities."

"Maybe. But what if he shows up?" argued Michael.

Selena opened her door and said, "That is what you are for. If you see him, let me know and I'll get out of there as fast as I can. Please don't worry. KITT, I'll be contacting you in a few minutes so that you can patch me up with the computers at the Foundation." After that, she disappeared out of the car and into the building before Michael could stop her.

On the fourth floor inside Selena's office, she sat down behind her typewriter and set it up as if she were working late. Then, after making sure that the coast was still clear, she let herself into Mr. Judson's office and then Patrick's. She sat down at the computer terminal and began the process of linking it to the Foundation's system with KITT as backup. She contacted Bonnie by telephone and began sending the information. While this was being accomplished, she began searching through the offices. Rummaging through Patrick's desk, she found a couple of lists that she had never seen before. The lists contained names of people, military posts, terrorist groups, and the merchandise each of them were interested in. Prying open the bottom left hand drawer, she found the videotape that Patrick had been using to blackmail her with. Smugly she dropped the tape down the garbage shoot and into the incinerator. She returned to the terminal with a set of files that she had gotten out of Patrick's safe. Getting on the phone, she whispered, "Bonnie, you should see what I've found. I've got to download it into the computer and then I'll send it through. I've got to hang up, so wait for it to come through." Throwing the disk into the drive, she programmed it to copy and to transfer all data into Bonnie's computer where she recorded it on a disk of her own. KITT made sure all the information got through by preventing any interference from other e-mail systems.

Bonnie informed, "Everything is OK on this end. Talk to you later. I wish you had not put yourself in such danger, Selena, but thank you anyway. Be careful."

Feeling a little spooked, Selena asked, "Wait, Bonnie, don't hang up. I'd rather have you on the line. Like you said, this is dangerous." After the disk finished, Selena pulled it out and put it back exactly where she had found it, and began punching in the information from the files. She was so busy with her tasks, that she did not hear someone walking toward the door.

Outside KITT had been busy with helping them and had not noticed that Patrick had driven into the parking lot. Patrick, on the other hand, had seen KITT and figured that Michael was upstairs snooping around. He made sure that he was unnoticed as he stole into the building, expecting to confront his opponent. He was shocked when he threw open the door to his office and found Selena sitting in his chair. His temper rising, He demanded, "What are you doing here, My Toy?"

Startled, Selena dropped the receiver and stood up in front of the computer screen. She took a cleansing, calming breath and answered as coolly as possible. "T...Try...Trying to get some work done." She casually reached behind her, found the combination of keys to do an "alternative, control, delete" and pressed them twice. This erased everything on her side of the terminal and immediately shut down her system. Bonnie's terminal went blank simultaneously.

At the Foundation, Bonnie knew something was wrong and shouted at Selena through the phone. Not waiting for an answer, She warned Michael.

In the office, Patrick closed the door behind him and asked, "Selena, who are you talking to?" He cornered her behind the desk.

Selena sat back down and picked up the receiver. She pretended, "Hello? Sir? Still there? Oh...I am sorry...how much did you say my order was? OK, we will be there soon to pick it up."

When she finished, Patrick inquired, "Who's 'we'?"

She replied, "Michael and I. He's waiting for me downstairs."

Patrick asked, "Are you taking him to your place? It is so late."

She blurted sassily, "Could be. You said to keep him busy."

He replied, "I've noticed how busy he's been keeping you. Where were you this afternoon?"

"We took the girls shopping and then swimming."

Patrick reached over the desk and took hold of her hand. He kissed it suggestively, "So, why are you with him now? I thought I warned you not to get too close." He found her unexpected flippant attitude irritating.

Caught off guard, Selena replied in a caustic tone, "What reason could I have for discontinuing the wonderful evening we've been having?" She saw a vein ticking in Patrick's throat, a sure sign that she had made him angry. She pulled her hand away and covered her mouth, "I am sorry, Patrick. Please don't be angry with me." She swallowed disgust for her own cowardice and his paws touching her. She looked at the files on the desk and realized that she had to do something to keep him from seeing them or else.

Patrick let her pull her hand back as she desperately tried to pacify him. He watched her continue the process of cleaning his desk and thought about how sexy she looked when she was cowering before him. He had been through an exhausting evening before coming back to the office. His new guest was not cooperating and he still had not learned who had hired her or how much she knew. He had left his guest so that he could await Selena's telephone call to report how she was doing with Michael Knight. He had been planning to make her come out to play with him for the evening. And when he had burst in his office and found her working late, he figured his luck was about to change. He now looked forward to playing a special game of chess with her, knowing that he would win in more ways than one. Her timid plea for his forgiveness gave him a feeling of power that refreshed him. He offered, "I'm not angry, my toy. As a matter of fact, I thought I would reward you. I have been missing your great massages and I know you loved mine. How about a game of chess to see who gets to be first?"

She was thoroughly repulsed by his suggestion, knowing what his game of chess would entail. She too quickly answered, barely hiding her revulsion, "Not tonight, Patrick. Remember, Michael is waiting and we have plans that cannot be changed."

Patrick was taken back by the veiled disgust in her eyes and the rejection coming from her lips. He had forgotten about Michael being downstairs and his suspicions were aroused, "Just tell him you have more work to do tonight. That is why you are here, isn't it?"

Selena began shoving papers back into the folder as she answered, "Yes. But...well...We're suppose to go to this new club. I promised." She saw his vein stand out again and she added, "Besides, don't you have a meeting with Lenox later? I remember it being on the calendar I sent you this morning."

Patrick returned, "Why are you choosing him over me, Selena? I hope you're still not having romantic notions about him!" He circled around the desk, pushing her closer to the computer terminal and the window.

She evaded his actions and tried to put the file away. She defended herself, "I'm only doing what you told me to do."

Her constant meddling with his desk was becoming annoying. He grabbed her wrist, causing her to drop the file on the desk. He made her look at him and accused, "You are lying!" He held her wrists behind her back and continued, "I thought I made myself clear this morning. I will never let you go!" Selena looked at him and then back at the desk where the file still lay open under the lit lamp. Again she wrestled out of his grasp and tried to close the file. Patrick, frustrated with her obvious attempts to hide what she had been doing, grabbed the folder and demanded, "Why are you so interested in putting away these files, Selena? What are you trying to hide from me?" He opened the folder and began to read its contents.

Selena tried to take it back, but failed. Panic rose as she tried to explain, "Nothing. I...Its" She knew that things had gotten out of her control a long time ago and wondered where Michael was.

Patrick pushed her again, "Nothing!" He accused, "What are you doing with this file?" He tossed the folder across the room while shoving Selena into the armed swivel chair behind her and pinned her there. He said menacingly, "I hope you weren't planning to double cross me! That would not be very healthy for you!"

"No, I swear! I...Patrick"

He grasped her already injured shoulders roughly, "You haven't become another spy for the Foundation! Have you?"

Trying not to cry out in pain, she defended, "I'm not a spy! What are you talking about?"

"Oh no! Then what about your friend Caiti?" He saw recognition in her eyes and he knew he had to find out why she was in his office. He challenged, "How much did you tell her? How long did you know she was working for the Foundation?"

"Stop it! You're hurting me!"

"Tell me what you were doing with this file! You were going to give it to your new friend! I want the truth, Toy!" He loomed over her and again squeezed her shoulders with each of his demands.

Unable to stand anymore of his bullying and since Patrick knew the truth; she shot back, "I haven't done anything yet, Patrick. But you'd better let Caiti go, or I will blow up your entire operation!"

Patrick hooked his hand to her chin and threatened, "Watch what you say, My Toy, or you'll be joining my new guest. And you'll play the same game she just lost for betraying me!" When she tried to push him away, he knocked her back and warned, "Don't make me angrier, Selena! I'm trying my best to remember that you are still my favorite toy." He got into her face and re-asked, "Now. What did you tell Caiti and Mr. Knight?"

The door to the office opened, startling Patrick into letting go of Selena. She jumped up out of the chair as Michael walked in and inquired, "Selena, oh...are you almost finished?"

She sighed with relief, "Michael! I...Patrick...I was just leaving." Quickly she picked up her purse, edged out of the desk's chair, casually walked past Patrick, and entered into Michael's protective embrace.

Michael received her grateful, but shaky smile and asked, "What took you so long?"

Patrick came over and answered for her, "I was keeping her, Mr..."

"Knight, Michael Knight. And you are?"

Selena introduced them before Patrick could comment rudely, "Michael, this is my boss's son, Patrick. Remember you met him the other day at the restaurant."

Patrick smirked, "Oh yes. It was good fortune that you were there to pick Selena up that day, Mr. Knight. She might not have made it home safely. I hope you don't have to make it a habit of rescuing my favorite To...ummm...secretary."

Michael was about to take up his challenge, but Selena stepped in. She felt a little braver with Michael by her side and announced, "By the way, Patrick. That little matter we were talking about...I won't be able to help anymore. I've cancelled my insurance policy."

Patrick smiled mischievously, "We can discuss it later. You go and have some fun now. Oh and give my love to Jasmine and Tina." His dark eyes conveyed his meaning to her quite clearly.

Michael intervened, "We both will. Let's go, Sal." With that, Michael escorted Selena out of the office and into the elevator. Once inside, Selena let her guard down and Michael asked, "Are you OK?"

She leaned against him, her arm wrapped around his, their hands intertwined, "When my arms stop throbbing, I'll be fine."

Michael remarked, "I suppose it is a waist of breath to suggest that you leave the dangerous stuff to me from now on?" She evaded his eyes and he hugged her, "Let's go get something to eat."

Selena declined, "No, I just want to go home and take a hot bath. Patrick has this way of making me feel very tired and dirty." She rested her head on his shoulder until they reached KITT. She felt relief as she realized that she was finally free and out of Patrick's reach. But undermining her newfound hope was a voice that reminded her of Caiti's fate; and, she knew that Patrick might still try to hurt her or her sisters. She closed her eyes to the fear, seeking to find peace within herself again. She snuggled more into Michael seeking her security from him. As KITT opened the passenger door for her, Selena gently caressed Michael's cheek and kissed him, "Thank you, Michael. I owe you."

Michael helped her to sit down and then entered KITT too. When he was settled next to her he tenderly took her hand and replied laughing, "KITT, Buddy, record that so she remembers it the next time we race."

While on the way to her house, Selena repeated the rest of the information to KITT and supplied the last computer disk containing maps and blueprints of government installations that Patrick planned to steal from. One agency stood out - The Foundation for Law and Government. She finished as they parked in her driveway. She stated, "I'll meet you at the Foundation in the morning. After I take my sisters to their classes, I want to be with you while you find the evidence to hang Patrick!"

Michael laughed at her wanting to get back in the game so quickly only on his side, "I'll think about it."

She smiled, "Good night!" as she opened her door to get out.

Michael heard her sigh and saw the hesitation she felt as she contemplated going inside her house alone. Worriedly he asked, "Are you sure you want to stay here tonight? Alone?"

Breathing in courage she replied, "Yes, I think so. I'm just gonna go to sleep."

He insisted, "Are you sure you'll be all right?"

Michael's over worrying eased her fears and she reassured, "Don't worry, Michael. I'll be safe until morning. You need to go find Caiti before Patrick really hurts her." She had laid her hand gently over his to convince him of her safety.

Michael pressed her hand to his lips before she could pull away. He saw the pain and guilt she felt over her friend's disappearance. He wanted her to know that she had done the right thing in helping them fight Patrick. But Selena knew that if she stayed with Michael any longer that she would be begging him to stay with her. She pulled away from him and hurried into the house.

Michael watched Selena until she was safely locked inside. KITT surveyed the surrounding area until he was convinced there was nothing out of place. When KITT was finished, Michael suggested, "What'd'ya say we go back and do a little investigating of our own, KITT? I think Judson needs to fight someone his own size for a change." He instructed KITT where to drive while he reread the information about Patrick. As they approached The Judson Building again, Michael finished studying the information and thought that he had found what he would need to intimidate Patrick. He saw lights burning in Patrick's office on the fourth floor. He had KITT tune his radar device to listen in on what was going on up there. They found Patrick in the middle of a conversation with two other men. They were discussing a dangerous chemical used to contaminate water supplies. It was being discarded by the military before it could fall into the wrong hands. One of the gentlemen commented jokingly that the government must have known that they were planning to steal it. Patrick added, "Such a waste of valuable time. I guess we'll just have to add it to our inventory at the auction."

Another voice spoke, "Tell me more about the auction site."

Patrick explained, "It is going to be held at an island I own in the Caribbean. There shouldn't be any hassle from the authorities, since it is entirely private property."

"You mean as long as the Feds don't find out about it."

The first person asked, "Are you sure we won't have any problems?"

Patrick thought for a moment about the confrontation he had with Selena earlier that evening. Smiling confidently, he assured, "Everything is under my control, Roger."

Far away from the Judson Building, Patrick's problem was just getting out of the shower. Selena grabbed her purple satin robe from a peg on the wall and after wrapping it around herself; she stepped out of the bathtub. She hummed to herself as she towel dried her wet hair and then began to untangle it with a comb. A few minutes later, she was dressed comfortably in a nightgown of soft cotton and was turning down the covers of her bed. The telephone beside her bed began to ring, startling her before she reached to answer it.

At the same time, Michael heard Patrick pick up the phone, dial, and hang up. Patrick announced, "Well, gentlemen, let us discuss how we will obtain the rest of our merchandise. I want to get this done quickly because I have a date tonight."

Returning to Selena's home, she had just hung up on her caller who had mysteriously listened to her say hello before hanging up on her. "With all my problems," she mused, "I gotta put up with kids fooling around with crank calls."

While she returned to the process of going to bed, Patrick paced on front of his office window. As he gazed at the star lit sky, he noticed KITT parked across the street. Figuring that Michael was probably monitoring his office, he mischievously picked up the phone and dialed. When questioned by his partners, Patrick smiled and informed them that he had to arrange a special game for his favorite toy. The two men smiled in return and said their good-byes. Patrick heard them leave as someone picked up the phone he was calling. He informed, "We have a problem."

"What now?"

"Not now, Lenox. I don't want to take the chance our new partners will hear us. I'm not letting them back out of this deal. Not after what we had to do tonight. Have you won the game yet?"

Lenox replied, "I've almost got all the chips as we speak."

Patrick replied, "Good. Now we need to begin a new game for my spoiled toy. Will you and Brown make sure the board is set up? I want to make sure she learns her penalty for breaking the rules again."

"Would you like us to bring her to you?"

Patrick replied contemplatively as he watched out the window, "I think we'll take the game to her. It will be easier for her to play with us. Call me when you have her declawed." He hung up the receiver while watching for Michael's reaction under his window.

Michael hit the dashboard in frustration. He hated not being able to understand Patrick's double talk about a game. Little did he know the riddle would soon be played out especially for him. For the moment, all he could do was wait for Patrick to make his move.

Michael kept watch at Judson International for several hours into the night, Patrick still "working" in his office. There had been several more telephone calls that Michael had not understood and this caused him to feel restless. Tapping out his uneasiness on the steering wheel, Michael suddenly ordered, "KITT, give me the name and exact location of that island that Judson was talking about earlier. Tell me what government controls it too."

KITT informed, "I've got it, Michael. It is part of a group of islands called Windward. It is located just off St. Vincent, a US property."

"Thanks, Buddy, keep an eye on things for a while. I've got a message to deliver." Quickly and quietly, Michael stole into the building, creeping carefully until he got to the fourth floor and the main offices. He listened outside Patrick's door. Then throwing it open, he stood in the doorway making his intent very clear.

Patrick held the telephone receiver he had been using away from his ear as he evilly acknowledged Michael's presence. Patrick returned to his conversation, "Wait for my call." And then he laid the receiver back in its cradle. Slowly rising to his feet, Patrick faced Michael and greeted, "Mr. Knight? How nice to see you again. Has something happened to Selena?"

"Cut the charm, Judson! I know what you have been up to," challenged Michael.

"And what is that, my friend."

"I know what you did to Selena, here in this office tonight and that it was not the first time." Stalking towards Patrick, he warned, "I'm on to your little game, Sir!"

Patrick made it obvious that Michael's revelations were not affecting him. He continued, "Game! I really don't know what you are talking about." To insure that his temper remained in check, Patrick encircled his hand over the top of his chair and squeezed.

In sharp observation of this action, Michael pushed, "Let's just say I have information about a little island near St. Vincent that you own. I hear there is going to be a very special auction there." He paused as he allowed that piece of information sink into Patrick's ears. Leaning against the chair that sat in front of Patrick's desk, Michael sarcastically asked, "I wonder if the authorities would find this information as interesting as I have. They might even want to participate."

Realizing Michael's knowledge of his activities, Patrick felt his temper begin to build. In response he shoved his chair against his side of the desk and demanded, "Get to the point before I call security."

Michael laughed, "The point is that I'm coming after you. You better leave Selena out of this from now on or you're going to find yourself put 'in a penalty box'."

"Selena?" Patrick asked, "What does she have to do with this?"

Michael answered, "For starters, you may have branded her, but she is no longer 'P's Toy' Not Anymore! And that is the way I want to keep it! This is between you and me now. Play your game with me! I promise I'll make a worthy opponent."

Patrick recalled Selena's tattoo, astonished that Michael knew about it. From the "righteous rage" coming from Michael Knight's stance, Patrick knew that Selena had not voluntarily showed him the mark. He did recognize the extremely protective attitude Michael now had for Selena. That could be used to Patrick's advantage, but it could also undo all Patrick had done to turn Selena into his perfect toy. Patrick regained his composure and took up Michael's threat. He leaned across his desk and sneered into Michael's face, "I know you will make a worthy opponent, Sir. But don't make me your enemy or I might have to take back the queen and destroy her!" He pushed himself off his desk and ordered, "Now get out of my office."

Michael refused to back down and instead warned, "I'm already your enemy. So prepare to fight me instead of picking on women and children." His anger spent, Michael saluted Patrick and said, and "I believe you are in check, Mr. Judson." He retreated from the battleground and left Patrick alone to contemplate his warning. Michael hoped that he had pushed Patrick into coming after him instead of going after Selena again.

After Michael disappeared from his office, Patrick walked over to the window. He stood quietly while waiting for Michael to appear on the street below. As Michael hurried toward KITT, Patrick mused confidently, "So, Mr. Knight. You believe that you have checked me. I suppose you want me to make my next move." Pausing to think about the game he was planning, Patrick smiled, "I guess, Mr. Knight. I'll just have to use a couple of pawns to get my queen back." Wickedly, he picked up the telephone again and with the sure knowledge that Michael was listening, he called his friends, "Are we ready to play yet?"

Lenox reported, "Everything is set, Patrick. We're ready for your first move."

Patrick smiled, "Excellent! Wait for my signal. I need to take care of one more piece." Patrick ended his conversation and got ready to leave. He exited the building and got into his car. He watched Michael and laughed as he drove away to begin his game.

The peacefulness of the Kirk home was broken. Selena felt herself awakening out of a deep sleep. She sat up for a second, the light comforter falling away and surrounding her lap. Again, the ringing of her telephone broke the silence of the night. Fully conscious, she lay back down and grabbed the receiver. She whispered, "Hello?" A slow, raspy voice answered her with strange and eerie utterances that she could barely understand. What she did understand frightened her and she immediately threw the receiver back in its cradle. Before she could get comfortable again, the phone began to ring again. She pulled the receiver to her ear and demanded, "Who is this! What do you want?"

The same slow raspy voice threatened her more clearly, "You know what I want! Selena Kirk!"

Hearing her name threw her into a near panic. She tried to remain calm and retorted sarcastically, "Look, I am not interested in playing with you tonight! Don't call here again, or I'll tell your mothers!" She hung up more loudly this time and hoped that the caller was just a bunch of kids playing a prank. She huddled under her blankets and tried to go back to sleep. But the phone blared again throughout the house. She resolved not to answer it, hoping that the caller might get tired of listening to it ring. After several more rings, her prayers were answered and the phone went dead. Then after only a few eerie quiet seconds, it sprang back to life warning her of imminent danger with each ring.

Finally out of frustration, Selena forced herself to pick up the receiver. Before the caller had a chance to speak, she yelled, "If you don't stop this nonsense! I'm calling the Police!"

Her threats were met with an eerie laugh that reinforced her fears. She tried to hang up, but the voice refused to let her off the line. In between her clicking, she tried to ignore the voice's cruel and jeering remarks. Giving up trying to get rid of him, she let the receiver rest in its cradle again. As if in anger to her actions, the ringing began again. Selena jumped out of bed and flipped on her bedroom light. When the lights went on the telephone went silent and Selena sought the safety of her bed. Breathing away her anxieties, she stared at the telephone hoping that her nightmare was finally over but fearfully knowing that it was not. One tear fell down her cheek as she whispered, "Patrick."

Across town, Michael and KITT had been following Patrick around the city during Selena's ordeal. KITT asked, "How long are we going to be doing this?"

Michael answered, "Until we find out what he's up to."

Patrick looked at Michael through his rearview mirror and then glanced down at his watch. Laughing over his triumph, he drove into a private underground parking lot of a high-rise apartment building. Michael parked across the street and had KITT find out what he could about it. Patrick hid inside the garage's doorway and watched Michael watching his building. Patrick smiled, "Good boy, Mr. Knight. You just stay right there."

Huddled in her bed, Selena tried to warm herself against the chill that had invaded her body. She had been able to calm herself down in the quiet of her room. As suddenly as the phone had stopped, it suddenly intruded on the stillness of her room, causing her to jump out of bed. Grabbing the receiver, she listened as a new voice, one she definitely recognized, sneered, "The lights won't protect you, My Toy! You broke the rules, the king demands a penalty!"

Defiantly Selena countered, "You can't hurt me with a phone call or your stupid games anymore! I won't let you!"

"You can refuse to pay the King! That is very dangerous!" the voice challenged, "I've got you where I want you now, Selena! Let the games begin!" Before she could answer his challenge, he mocked, "The Needles are Coming, Toy! Think! They could be waiting right outside your door. Is it locked? Are your sisters safe?  The King and His needles are on their way!"

Selena did not want to hear anymore and shouted, "Stay away from me!" She threw the phone down, hearing "Good-bye, P's Toy!" before she could hang up again. The lights in her room flickered on and off for a few seconds and then quit. Pulling her comforter from the bed, she wrapped herself in it and hurried down the hall toward the stairs. As she passed, she flipped on the overhead lights. As she reached the bottom of the stairs, her panicky movements caused her to trip on the fourth step. It turned forward causing her to fall. She slammed against the railing before landing on the bottom of the staircase. She was ready to give up but the phone began to ring again. She forced herself to get up and triple locked the front door. Dragging the comforter with her, she used the wall to help herself to walk into the living room towards the phone. Without warning, the electricity in the house was cut off. She collapsed to the rug and began to cry in the enveloping darkness. She crawled over to the end table and grabbed the phone. Taking the receiver, which hummed under her hand, she listened to the voice's taunting for a few seconds; and, then she switched over to the second line. Dialing, she waited for someone to answer. The sound of an answering machine came over the line instead. Throwing the receiver on the couch, she laid her head in her arms and tried to think of something else. She thought of calling the police, but knew Patrick would know that they were coming and he would escape. Another idea came to mind and she groped her way over to the kitchen counter. Grabbing her purse, she took it back over to the couch and knelt by the phone. She emptied the purse on the cushion, retrieved a crumpled piece of paper out of the mess, and dialed the number on the paper. After a few rings, she heard Michael's friendly voice answer. With fear and relief evident in her voice, she pleaded, "Michael! Help...I need...."

"Selena! What?"

"Please help me! I don't have...someone is...kill..."

The line became fuzzy and Michael called out, "Selena! Speak up...What? Hello!" Looking over at the apartment building where Patrick had led him, he knew the answer. He was about to tell Selena that he was coming for her, but the line went dead.

Selena tried to breathe away her hysterics and tried to get Michael back on the line. She gave up when she found that she could not even get a dial tone anymore. She nervously laid down the receiver and curled up on the floor by the couch. The dark room seemed to come alive around her. Every little creek, crack in the house was magnified ten times their normal sound. All of this kept Selena's imagination busy, terrifying her past the point of reality. To make matters worse, the telephone came to life to torture her again. Selena inched away from it, hiding herself near one of the rocking chairs by the fireplace.

Michael put KITT into high pursuit and impatiently drove to Selena's. He talked out his frustrations at KITT, "Now I know what he was talking about! How could I have been so stupid! If he hurts her, KITT, it will be my fault. I pushed her into turning him in. I went upstairs to challenge him. He pushed all the right buttons and got me to follow him! Damn it!"

KITT offered, "Remember, Michael, this is just another attempt to make you leave him alone. This guy is using Selena."

"I know, KITT. I just wish we weren't playing by his rules anymore," Michael responded, "Have you gotten through to her yet?"

KITT answered that he had not as they turned down Selena's subdivision. Michael suggested, "Trace the call, KITT. Maybe we can pin this to Judson after I nail him." He slowed down upon reaching the entrance to Selena's street.

Observing everything, KITT surveyed the area and reported, "The electricity has been cut off. But for only this block." When they passed a brown Mercedes that sat across the street from Selena's driveway, KITT reported, "Michael, there is a man sitting in the car across the street. He's using his cell phone."

Michael ordered KITT to trace the call. KITT did and found that the call was going to Selena's. He responded by causing interference between the cell phone and Selena's home phone. Selena's tormentor became nervous and let out a signal with his horn. His accomplice came running out from Selena's backyard. Michael jumped out and took off after him while KITT captured the man in the car. The thug on foot tried to escape by circling around Michael and heading for the car. But KITT blocked his efforts while making sure the Mercedes didn't move either. The other man decided to try to use KITT to escape. But KITT ordered, "Don't move, Scum! My partner has some business to discuss with you!"

The man turned to see Michael's fist coming at his stomach. Michael grabbed him by the arm and pinned him against KITT's side. He demanded, "What were you doing back there, pal?" Before Michael could get an answer, a round of gunfire came at them from the Mercedes. Michael pulled himself and his prisoner down behind KITT's door, shielding them from the spray of bullets. The bullets exploded in a ray of bright, fire-red sparks when they hit KITT's body and then evaporated into thin air.

Out of the darkness, the man from the Mercedes ordered, "Let my friend go, Mr. Knight! Turn around slowly and back away from your car!" When Michael refused, the gunman pulled out a little black remote control box and threatened, "Let him go, Mr. Knight. You see this box controls a small explosive that has been hidden inside Selena's house. Now I don't think detaining us is worth Selena's life, do you?" Reluctantly, Michael let go of his prisoner and the man joined his friend inside the Mercedes. The gunman laughed at Michael's compliance and said, "I have a message for you, Mr. Knight. Forget what you know about Judson. Your queen is in jeopardy! Now, my friend, you do not have much time! BOOM!" The car sped off leaving Michael to help Selena.

KITT reported before Michael could ask, "I don't know why you didn't call his bluff, Michael? There is no bomb."

Michael shot, "You should've told me sooner, KITT!" Michael slammed the car door, feeling frustrated at being manipulated so easily. He realized that Patrick must have used tactics like this on Selena before. He looked at Selena's door and proceeded up the driveway to let her know that everything was all right.

During the commotion, Selena had heard the gunfire. Not knowing what was going on outside increased her terror of the situation. She did not know whether Michael was outside or if he was the one shot at. He could be dead, she thought. She had been sitting with her comforter wrapped around her for security in the darkness of the once cozy little family room. Now the room was like a murky dark prison cell. She was too frightened to move and too cautious to scream for help. The instinct to survive surfaced, and like a caged animal, she decided she would protect herself to the end. She reached for her father's shotgun and quickly loaded it from a supply of ammunition she kept hidden inside a secret compartment in the fireplace. She held the gun close to her and the memory of her father teaching her how to use the weapon flashed in her mind. A knocking on her front door interrupted her thoughts, jolting her back to reality. With rifle in hand, she knelt down in the middle of the room and waited for whoever was hurting her to walk through her door.

Michael tried to open the door, but found it locked. He called, "Selena! Unlock the door, Babe! Selena...KITT, unlock this door! Selena, I'm coming in."

Selena heard the door unlock and open. She heard someone call her name. She raised the rifle and said in a very threatening, cautious tone, "Get out of here!"

KITT picked up on Selena's rapid heartbeat and the weight of the shotgun in her hands. He warned, "Michael, be careful. She seems to be very excited and overly nervous. I think she is holding a gun."

Hearing a second voice, Selena demanded again, "Don't come any closer! I swear I will kill you! I have a gun!"

"Selena, listen to me. I'm not going to hurt you!" soothed Michael as he carefully stepped out from behind the wall that separated the entrance hall from the living room.

But in her hysterical state of mind, Selena refused to trust the silhouetted figure that towered above her in the dark. Becoming nauseated with growing fear, she sobbed, "GET! OUT!!" She fired into the air and then aimed the rifle at her "attacker's" head. Then without warning, the telephone rang and it shocked Selena into turning away from Michael to face the object that had started her terrorizing ordeal. Michael took the opportunity and embraced her trembling body. As he tried to hold her, the rifle fell harmlessly to the ground. Michael carefully pushed it out of the way to prevent an accident. Instinctively, Selena fought against his efforts to help her. She screamed for him to let go of her and begged him not to hurt her. Michael realized that she didn't know who her tormentor was anymore:  the person holding her or the one calling her. In her mind, they were now one and the same. Pinning her arms to her side, he made her look at him and said, "Selena! It's me! Michael! Baby, Please calm down and see me!"

Recognition came into her eyes and she stopped fighting him and began to cry. She allowed him to cradle her in his arms. She looked up at him again and realized how worried he was for her. She sniffled away her hysterics and began to relax in the comfort of Michael's arms. He quieted her frightened sobs, caressing her hair and holding her tightly to help her feel secure and safe again.

Around them, KITT managed to get the electricity working again. A light from above the stove in the kitchen came on. This helped to restore some of the sanity that hand been lost during Patrick's attack. Feeling stupid and embarrassed, Selena broke away from Michael's embrace. She wiped her damp cheeks and apologized, "I am sorry Michael. I didn't know it was you. I heard the gun shots outside and I thought..." She took a sharp intake of breath, "...you...I thought you were...then I thought you were the man on the phone when you came through my door. I had to protect myself, Michael." New tears began their descent as she began to go over the situation. Her mind raced through the event and her fears renewed intensely as she repeated, "You were...I thought you were DEAD! I heard the shots! Patrick had...he said..." Michael tried to get Selena to stop remembering. He told her that he understood and that she was safe again. But Selena continued to talk out her feelings, "But, Michael, Patrick warned me! And then the phone rang!" She looked over at the silent machine and wept, "It just kept ringing and ringing...like before when he said all those horrible things to me...I didn't think there was anyone left to help me...I was all alone...and..."

Michael tried again to pull her back into his arms while soothing, "It is over, Selena. Let it go. Just forget it!"

Selena threw herself against him and cried, "But I couldn't stop it!" She lightly hit her fist against his chest, "It just rang and rang...I'm so afraid, Michael."

Inside Michael was seething with anger over Patrick's terrorization of Selena. He could feel her frightened sobs down to his soul. Guilt followed because he had not been able to protect her like he had promised to. He wanted to take her pain away, to quell the rage within him. She had looked away from him still looking at the phone and repeating, "It just rang and rang..." Michael gently took her face with in his big palms and lightly kissed her lips. He kept kissing her until she stopped speaking and returned his kisses. He kissed her cheeks so lightly it was if a feather were brushing her skin. Another release of tears trailed to his mouth and he took them into his mouth with his lips. He held her from moving keeping her kneeling on the ground with him. He felt her hands reach up to take his face. She brought his lips back to hers and he felt her return his kiss with an urgency that bespoke what they both needed and wanted from each other. Michael loosened the comforter from around her legs and pulled her satin robe from her shoulders, laying it behind her on the carpet. All the while he indulged in the taste of her mouth on his. Each kiss became more urgent, more prolonged. Tongues fought for control, noses brushing each other, fingers caressing their faces and neck. Michael wanted to be so gentle with Selena. He wanted her to know more than just rape, which though she had never confirmed Patrick had done that to her, Michael knew the truth. His hands pressed the cotton of her nightgown against her breasts, feeling for her nipple. He teased them between his fingers until he felt them stand out for his touch and heard her moan contentedly in his ear. While he pleasured her breasts, she tenderly moved her lips in a line along his chin to the side of his neck. Selena used her nose to make a straight line, hearing him giggle as she tickled him. His breath burned her skin and she tried to meld herself against his mouth. Her hands quickly, frantically moved down his shirt, pushing the buttons out of their holes. He returned to her mouth as she found his nipples with her fingers, pushing his shirt aside freeing his skin to her touch. Michael reached down to release the buckle of his belt, but found Selena's hands had beat him to it and were already at work undoing the buttons on his fly. He let her finish, but then whispered, "I want you, Selena." He put her arms to her sides and then slowly lifted her nightgown from her head, discarding it into the pile above her. He cupped the curve of her breast like he was holding a baby's head from falling. The edge of his thumb kept her nipples achingly hard. He heard her whisper her satisfaction, their eyes never leaving each other's. He used one finger to tease her skin, following an imaginary line down her stomach and then back up to her neck. He drew her face again to his, tasting her cheeks, her neck, her eyes lids, her lips. 

Selena had never felt so pampered, so tenderly excited. Her passion was very slowly building, her body becoming tense, yet relaxed with each touch, each kiss. She wanted to return the tenderness, but Michael refused to let her, instead spoiling her. He wrapped a strong arm around her back, lifted her slightly to free her legs from her kneeling position and guided her to lie beneath him. His free hand and lips never ceased their pleasurable ministrations. When he lay against her, careful not to crush her, he felt her hands entangle themselves in his hair; pulling him into her body. He satisfied her silent request returning to their passionate exploration of their kiss. Selena remarked breathlessly, "Am I dreaming! This is not happening."

Michael did not answer with words, but found a spot on her neck to suckle on feeling her head arch back to give him better access. She squeezed her fingers into his hair, pulling until the strands were tight around her fists. Michael's hands left her skin alive with goose bumps everywhere he had been. He inched further down until his mouth was a top one of her nipples. While pinching one between his fingers, he traced the other with tongue, drawing it between his teeth to nibble her tender flesh until he felt her lower body move beneath him. One of her legs tried to wrap around his waist, trying to pull his torso inside her. Though Michael wanted to keep their passionate encounter slow and tender, urgency erupted with Selena's hands reaching down his back to pull off his leather jacket and the opened shirt beneath it. He heard her whimpering that she was sorry, that she was still afraid he had been killed because of her. He knew her mind was trying to bring back the memories of Patrick's attack...the one that night and others she had experienced because of him. To get her mind back to him, Michael helped her to finish undressing him. The heat of their skin keeping each other warm on the floor of Selena's living room. Michael lifted up to become even with her face again. Again he called her to look at him...keep her eyes focused on him. He smoothed her hair and comforted, "Shhhh...I'm here. Everything is going to OK." 

Selena nodded, keeping her eyes locked with Michael's as she felt his fingers delve down to her nether lips and warm her body up even more. She caressed his back, lightly raking her nails down his spine as her body went through its first wave of orgasm. She could hear him through the clouds in her mind repeating that she was beautiful, safe, and wanted. He was filling her with nurturing love. Michael felt her body become rigid, his fingers bathed in her orgasm. His lips continued to shower her with tenderness and affection while he removed his fingers and covered her body with his own, laying between her legs. He pulled her under him until he felt himself slip easily inside her. One of her legs wrapped around his hips and her back arched up into him, her hands pressing him against her body. Michael felt her begin to climax again, her green eyes sparkling in the moon light coming in from the room's sliding glass doors. He encouraged her to let go as he let himself go, fiercely, protectively attacking her lips, sending his tongue deep into her mouth drowning out her orgasmic cries. Within minutes their passion was spent, Michael's head resting against her chest, the comforter becoming tangled in their bodies. Michael waited for Selena's breathing to return to normal and felt her hand caressing the back of his neck. He looked up at her and found a small smile touching her lips. Michael lay beside her, his body facing hers. He reached behind her to grab two large pillows from the sofa behind her and made sure Selena was comfortable. Each was afraid to speak about what they had just done, so they just stared at each other. Selena reached out to caress his cheek in gratitude and affection. Her heart was opening up to Michael in ways she had been fighting since meeting him. Michael took her hand and kissed the palm, holding it within his. He pulled her into the safety of his arms and watched her until she fell into a light sleep where the events of the night began to fade into a bad nightmare. Sometime later, he also fell asleep while still holding her.


	4. Trapping Knight Ch 4

Knight Rider 2010

Trapping Knight With A Queen

Written by  
Ldydeb  
Chapter Four

The next morning Michael and Selena drove to the Foundation together. Michael wanted to discuss Patrick's attack on Selena; but he was afraid to upset her. There had been several times during the night that Michael had to quiet the nightmares the plagued Selena's mind. He had heard her talking, crying, then screaming in her sleep. Her fears for her sisters, for himself kept playing themselves out. Selena was only quieted when tightly curled up within the safety of Michael's arms. She had even reached out to him just as another nightmare started, waking Michael briefly. When morning finally arrived, Michael awoke to find Selena already awake, breakfast ready to eat, and the clothes he'd worn the night before cleaned and folded waiting for him to dress in them again. Her mood was stormy, yet every time she looked at him he found her to be wistful and sad.

Selena sensed his struggle, but remained silent. Her nerves felt too fragile to deal with the questions Michael wanted to ask. She too remembered the many times she awoke hearing Patrick's threats; the gun shots; bits of the video he'd shown her of a woman being hunted, caught, raped, and beaten, then imagining herself as his prey; and then hearing her own voice screaming as all those things blended together in her mind. Each time Michael had been there to calm, sooth, and help her feel safe again. He stroked her hair until she fell asleep again. When the morning sun penetrated her eyes, Selena stirred finding Michael still wrapped around her and her own arms holding one of his arms just as tightly. The comforter was tangled around them. She laid there for several long wonderful minutes studying Michael's sleeping face, wondering how he could be so generous to her when she had lied to him and now needed him to protect her because of that lie. She was torn between wanting to let herself love Michael Knight and wanting to run from him. She didn't want to think about what had happened between them, just remember it for what it was...a wonderful dream. The only thing that mattered to her while they drove was getting to the Foundation to see her sisters. Watching ahead, she saw the Foundation's gates coming into view. Afraid of the answer, she hesitantly looked down at her hands and requested, "Michael, Please don't say anything to Devon about last night in front of the girls. I don't want to scare them."

Michael responded, "Are you going to stay at the Foundation until this thing is over?"

Selena answered, "I'm thinking about taking my sisters out to my aunts. We would be safe there."

Michael protested, "You should stay here, Selena. You'll be where I can keep an eye on you, and I was hoping you'd continue to help me with my investigation."

KITT parked in front of the mansion's entrance as Selena replied, "I'll think about it, Michael." They walked silently to the entrance and then separated at the top of the stairs. Michael watched her disappear down the hallway that led to the guestrooms and he knew that she was bordering on the edge. He could see the battle that was waging between fight or flight, and sanity or insanity. He knew that Patrick would try to use her again and that he would push her over that edge to do it. He must prevent that at all costs. Michael continued down the opposite hallway toward Devon's office. He wanted to tell Devon about last night's events before Selena came back.

On the other side of the mansion, Selena met Bonnie in her sisters' room.  Relieved that they were safe from last night's bad dream, she hugged them both very tightly. Concern for their continued safety sparked an idea and she went in search of Devon. She found him deep in conversation with Michael. She asked, "Excuse me. Devon, can the girls stay here today instead of going to their activities?"

Devon suggested, "I think it would be unwise for you to disrupt their routines. We'll make sure they stay safe while at school."

Selena argued, "But it is Saturday. There won't be a full staff at school, especially security. The bus won't even be there to bring them home. One of the mothers, Mrs. Tomb is suppose to bring them home for me."

Devon asked, "Can you trust this woman?"

"Yes, but?"

Devon promised, "Your sister's lives should not be disrupted any more than they already have been. Making them give up their favorite activities would cause them undo worry. I promise to have someone watching them while they are there and to follow them home. Then you and Michael can be there to pick them up. Does that make you feel better?"

After thinking it over, she realized that he might be right. She left the room to get her sisters ready to leave. After they had been taken care of and were on their way to school, Selena and Michael waited in Devon's office for an update of their situation.

Uncharacteristically, Devon angrily threw open his office door and slightly marched into the room. He was holding a police report and the anger he felt was evident in his expression. He requested, "Selena, I would like you to stay here with your sisters until this thing is settled."

"What's happened, Devon?"

Trying to check his temper so that he could think clearly, Devon informed, "It seems Patrick Judson Jr. was a very busy man last night. He has completely proved his capacity for evil. I've already sent extra people to watch the school and your sisters."

Michael and Selena looked at each other and knew what Devon was referring to. Michael asked again, "What has happened, Devon?"

Devon answered, "The police found Caiti's body at a local shooting range this morning. It was just as Selena predicted." He evaded her worried eyes as he continued, "I guess that barbarian found it fun to terrorize you while brutally torturing and killing Caiti."

The danger that she was in sank further into her mind and she remembered the threats her midnight caller had made. "What have I done?" she thought. She excused herself for a second and escaped to the hallway; her mind wrestling with all she had just heard. Leaning on a wall, she let her tears fall as she clearly imagined what Patrick had done to her best friend. Two sides of her conscience were at war with each other. One was warning her to get away from Michael, Devon, and the Foundation. It warned her against testifying against Patrick and continuing to investigate him. The other reminded her that she owed it to Caiti to stick it out and fight Patrick until she brought him down. She felt very alone and very tired of everything that she had been through.

While she worked to put herself back together, Devon and Michael continued to discuss the case inside the office. Devon warned, "Michael, I don't want you to let Selena out of your sight. I also do not want you to go pushing this Judson character around either. Right now, he has some powerful connections and so we have to be very careful. She is the only concrete evidence we have. I don't want anything to happen to her because she cooperated with us."

Michael responded, "Don't worry, Devon. I will be careful. Judson seems to have a passion for playing games. Well he's gone too far this time and I am going to check-mate his king before he does anything else."

Selena came back into the office before Devon could retaliate on Michael's remark. She agreed to stay at the Foundation until it was safe to go home again. Devon instructed Michael to stay with Selena while she prepared to move some of her things into one of the guesthouses on the property. He added that Michael should keep in touch incase they needed him for the investigation. Michael saw the tension in Selena and he knew he needed to help her release some of it before she exploded. He suggested that they go have fun instead of running errands.

However, after they had gotten out of Devon's presence and were seated in KITT, Michael began to describe to Selena a plan he had been hatching inside. He asked, "Does Patrick Sr. know that Patrick suspects him as a spy too?"

Selena responded, "I don't know. I have been worried about him. Patrick would not spare his own father to avoid being caught."

Michael asked, "Do you think you could handle seeing Patrick again in order to warn his father? Will you be safe up there?"

Selena thought about it for a second and too readily agreed. She wanted Patrick to know that his little prank last night did not make her want to come back to him. She wanted to rub it in his face that she was going to beat him and win his game.

When they arrived at Judson International, Michael had second thoughts and began to protest that he should go with her. Selena refused because she didn't want any trouble happening between him and Patrick. She told him that she was going up there on the pretense of cleaning out her desk, so she should not have any problems. Again Michael asked her if she was sure she would be all right. The memory of the previous night's escapade burned all to clear in his mind. She shrugged, "What could be more safe than an office full of other employees who know nothing of Patrick's secret deals." Apprehensively, Michael let her go even though he experienced a feeling of "deja vue" as he watched her disappear behind the glass doors.

On the fourth floor, Selena took a cleansing breath of courage and then waltzed in as if it was just another day. She stopped and gossiped for a few seconds with a couple of friends. A couple of them inquired why she was late. One girl in particular warned, "Where have you been, Selena? Senior Judson was furious when you and Caiti didn't show up this morning."

Selena answered, "I had a few errands to run." She looked around and asked, "Has Patrick come in yet?"

The girl answered, "Oh yes, he's here. For some reason he's been acting overly arrogant and pushy."

Selena watched Patrick, his father and his two business partners come into her office. She saw his confident, cruel mouth form a smile in her direction. She disgustedly informed, "Well, I've got a cure for that attitude." She excused herself from her friend and walked over to her desk. She pretended not to notice the people around her, but listened intently to their conversation in the hope that she would hear some information for Michael. She pulled out her garbage can and began cleaning her desk.

Patrick Sr. watched her with curiosity and then unbelief when she took out a box and began to put her personal items into it. He asked, "Miss Kirk, what are you doing?"

Selena responded, "Patrick didn't tell you? I quit last night."

From her expression when she said "Patrick", he could tell that something was very wrong. He wanted to ask her about it, but did not want to endanger them to his son. He replied, "I am sorry, Selena. Is there anything that I can do for you?"

She quickly jotted down a note of warning, as she answered, "No, I just took the advice of a good friend yesterday and found a better position with a company that will benefit my sisters as well." She watched Patrick as she took hold of his father's hand and slipped him the note. She squeezed it with affection and said, "I want to thank you for everything you've done for me, Mr. Judson. I just hope one day I can repay your kindness."

Patrick Judson Sr. felt the loyalty she tried to convey. He in turn tried to convey the care he felt for the girl who had become like a daughter to him. He returned a squeeze to her hand and offered, "We will miss you, Selena. You tell Devon to take real good care of my favorite secretary."

Secretly watching their exchange, Patrick realized that it was his father who had involved The Foundation. He cracked the pencil he had been holding but confidently announced, "Well, Father, why don't you escort our guests into your office for our meeting. I'm sure Miss Kirk would like to finish her tasks quickly and get out of here." He opened the office door and ushered the others in. After making sure that his guests were taken care of, he stepped back into her office and slid up behind her. He knew that she was there to prove to him that he could not hurt her anymore. He would now antagonize her and put her back in her place. He caressed her shoulder and commented, "I suppose you won't be hanging out with the Knight fella anymore."

She shrugged him off and said, "Leave him alone, Patrick! Haven't you done enough!"

"Did you have good time last night?" 

She stiffened as he massaged the back of her neck. She wanted to spit in his face. Instead she smiled and reported seductively, "Actually, Patrick, Michael helped me get through this awful nightmare I was having. Then...well...Ooh...I really shouldn't kiss and tell." 

Patrick understood her meaning quite well. He leaned down to tease her ear, then ran his lips lightly over the spot where her tattoo was and whispered, "I want you to know that if you tell anyone the things you know, your new lover will join Caiti at the shooting range. Then you'll have no one to protect you from me."

Shaking him off her, Selena turned and angrily replied, "You can't hurt me! I do not have to play your games anymore! I warned you last night, Patrick, that if you hurt Caiti I would bring you down! I will do more than just turn over a bunch of files to the cops. I'll be at the top of the list out to destroy you for what you did last night. Michael all ready knows everything else."

Patrick saw how her eyes raged with contempt for him. His own temper was in danger of spilling out because he knew that she had done more than just turn over a bunch of files to the Foundation. He had to find out what and bring her back in line. He pounced on her, grabbing a forceful hold of her neck and hair. "Don't show your temper with me, Selena! Remember who you are dealing with," he scowled, "Now what have you done to bring me down? You know something I don't, don't you?"

Spitting back, "Patrick, let go of me! People are looking!" She managed to pull away and tried to pacify him, "I haven't done anything more than get away from you and your barbarian friends!" She taped shut the box. She looked at him defiantly and warned, "But, my lord and master, if you don't leave me alone, you will be in a lot of trouble! So get it through your head that I will not be bullied by you anymore."

Patrick prevented her from stomping away, holding her arm behind her back. He roughly lifted her chin and kissed her. Then he looked into her eyes and maliciously promised, "Think again, My Toy! You are never out of my grasp! If you tell anymore to your boyfriend, My Toy, I'll make sure you go down with me."

Swatting his hand away, she laughed confidently, "That is where you are so wrong. You've done enough to get yourself in trouble. And after last night, when you murdered Caiti and tried to scare me, Michael wants you very bad. You are the one who should be scared, Patrick! Better beware! The Knight is coming after your King and he will win because he has something you don't! Justice!" She grabbed her box and stormed out of the office, allowing the door to slam behind her.

Patrick watched her leave and said to himself, "It seems Mr. Knight has done something else, My Toy. He's stolen my queen! I'll have to do something about that before we go any further, won't I." He heard the office door open behind him and turned to face his partner.

The man asked, "Is there a problem, Patrick?"

Pulling his temper back in check, Patrick answered, "No, no problem," as he watched Selena hurry onto the elevator. "But there will be a slight change in plans." Patrick smiled evilly and escorted his friend back into his office.

Outside, Selena hurried across the street to join Michael and KITT. She got into hastily and managed to slam KITT's door very violently. KITT asked, "Please don't do that to me, Selena."

"What?" she replied hotly.

"Slamming my door; please don't take your frustrations out on me," He repeated.

Staring blankly at the computerized dashboard, she realized what she had done and apologized, "I'll try not to, KITT, I promise."

Michael pulled away from the curb and asked with concern, "Did he give you a rough time?"

"Yes"

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

"No. I just need a few minutes to calm down before I explode. I don't understand why he can get to me so easily!" She tried to smile as she asked, "What time is it?"

"Almost 12:00, why?"

She suggested, "Jasmine and Tina will be coming home soon, so why don't we go to the house and wait for them? I could make us some lunch and blow off some of my anger in the process."

Before Michael could answer her, KITT informed him that Devon was calling. Devon's image appeared on the video screen on KITT's dashboard and he informed Michael that he was needed back at the Foundation. Michael agreed and told him that he would be there shortly. Reluctantly, Michael decided to drop Selena off at home so that she could be there when her sisters arrived. He told her that someone would be watching her at all times, but he made her promise to contact him immediately if anything happened. He pointed out the unmarked police car assigned to watch her house. Relieved, Selena kissed him and asked him not to take too long. She watched them drive away from her front door.

When she was sure he was gone, she closed the door and leaned against it for support. She finally let her guard down and allowed the pent up emotions that she had been hiding to be released. Looking around, she refocused her energies on getting some things ready to go for the stay at the Foundation. Shaking away her self-pity, she went into the kitchen to make herself something to eat. She tossed the box she had carried inside into the closet and set her purse on the counter as she passed it. The work it took to fix and eat her lunch helped her to relax and push the troubles of the day away. She continued to feel better as she concentrated on the rest of her busy housework. She went into the living room and again picked up the comforter that she and Michael had used while sleeping in each other's arms on the floor of her living room. Her heart lightened as she moved her work upstairs to her bedroom, taking the comforter with her. She recalled each kiss, each touch, each soothing word he showered her with as they made love. Though she had been hesitant that morning to belive what had happened between them had been a good thing; a new perspective came to mind as she folded the blanket and stored it in the linen closet. "He has been so good to me," she thought, "Even after finding out that I was spying on him for Patrick." She was grateful to him for helping her finally get away from Patrick. She felt stronger, more confident about herself. She refused to think about a future with no job and instead rejoiced that Michael had lifted the weight of Patrick's crimes off her shoulders. She had even been able to tell Patrick off without fear; she had stood up to him. A tune filled her head and she hummed out her happiness.

A noise came from downstairs and brought her out of her daydreams. She heard someone walking around and then climbing the stairs. Suddenly, she felt someone come up behind her. Her arms became pinned to her side as a hand came around to cover her mouth. The point of a gun jabbed her under the ribs and the voice from the phone whispered, "Remember me! Selena!" She tried to struggle, but he just held her closer and ordered, "Don't fight me! You are needed downstairs. Now do you promise to stay quiet?" She nodded under his hand, barely able to breathe from the pain he was causing in her lower back. For a second the man's hold on her loosened as he dropped his hand from her mouth. Too soon the pain returned as he increased his hold on her arms and waist. He ordered, "Good Girl. Now let's go downstairs."

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Patrick and two more of his thugs waited in her family room. Patrick stood up to greet her, "It is good to see you again, My Toy. I am so happy that you could join me for my little party." He picked up a glass of wine, which he had helped himself to and offered, "Would you care to join me, My Toy?"

The gunman behind Selena slightly pushed her forward and she turned to find Patrick's partner, Lennox blocking her way back to her stairs.  She gave him a dirty look. She furiously looked back at Patrick and challenged, "You are so stupid, Patrick. Don't you know that I have someone guarding me at all times and that Michael will return here very soon! I suggest you leave."

Patrick reached out and grabbed her hand. He led her to a chair by the bar. He laughed, "Oh, you mean the police car outside? He has been relieved from his duty. Seems the dispatcher called because she had given him the wrong address to watch. So, he is gone. I have also managed to get Michael lost on a wild goose chase. It is amazing to me how easily he is fooled into following empty leads."   He poured her a glass of wine and as he handed it to her, he informed, "I've come here to persuade you to stay on in my secret employ."

She knocked the wine glass out of his hand and turned to grab the phone. She answered, "I thought I made myself clear! Get out! I don't ever want to have anything to do with you! Except maybe watch Michael put you in prison that is!" She started dialing Michael's number, "I'm calling the police, you have exactly ten seconds to get out of here!"

The independent young woman who stood before him telling him exactly how she felt about him surprised Patrick. He thought that he'd killed that part of her; that getting her back in line would be easy.  But she defied him still and even threatened to call the police. This was again the girl he had captured and tamed a year ago. His temper rose a degree as he realized he'd have to begin from scratch teaching her to submit to him.  He took the phone out of her hands. He informed, "That maybe how you feel, My Toy, but I'm still going to give you one more chance to change your mind before I take drastic measures."

Patrick pulled the phone cord from the wall, his intent plainly visible in his eyes. Selena watched him holding his temper in check as if he were waiting for just the right moment to unleash it. Then as if on cue, Jasmine and Tina came through the front door. Jasmine automatically began to disappear up the stairs. Tina stood in the entrance way and greeted suspiciously, "Hi, Mr. Judson."

Jasmine heard Tina and backtracked into the hallway. She looked at Selena, Patrick, and then Tina. Knowing something was very wrong, Jasmine grabbed Tina's hand and Selena yelled at them to run away. In the commotion that followed, Selena shoved past Patrick and her guard and tried to leave with her sisters. But her escape attempt was stopped when Patrick grabbed her from behind and pulled her into the kitchen. The three thugs with him grabbed Jasmine and Tina and forced them inside an awaiting van. As soon as they were inside, the van sped away and disappeared out of the subdivision. 

During the struggle, Selena desperately tried to fight Patrick. She punched and pushed at him, always reaching for her sisters. Her voice demanded, shouted, ordered, and then pleaded for Patrick to let them go. Patrick grabbed a dishtowel from the sink and shoved it between her teeth to stop her screams. He tossed Selena face first against her kitchen counter, and then used the telephone cord to bind her hands behind her back. Knowing she had lost, Selena stared blankly at the wall, spit the towel from her mouth, and then asked in a deadly tone, "Why are you here?"

Patrick eased up his hold against her, and helped her to stand away from the counter. He turned her around to face him. His hands began to explore her body, his body language letting her know exactly what he had in mind. He spoke directly into her ear, letting his breath tickle her neck. He felt her nipples harden underneath the silk blouse and bra she wore. He guided his hand up the back of her shirt and unhooked her bra. She tried to shake him off, but he laughed, "Oh no, My Toy, remain still! You played with The Knight against the rules. Now I will play with you. If you talk again, that towel will find its way back in your mouth!" He drew her lips to his and sneered, "Then again, I think I have a better use for your mouth." He forced her to her knees, while unlatching the belt around his pants, then pulling down his zipper and pulling out his full erection. Selena tried to shake him away. He forced her to take him into her mouth and rammed himself inside and out of her throat. He watched her eyes look up at him, pleading for him to stop. He took out his cell phone, put into her line of vision, and beeped it once. A man's voice came over and said, "Yes, Patrick?"

Patrick asked, "How are My Little Pawns doing?"

"Fine, Sir. We gave them each the soda Gerry prepared for them and now they are sleeping soundly."

Patrick smiled down at his lovely prisoner, her mouth full of him, her eyes tearing yet not ceasing to stare at his cell phone. Patrick instructed, a grunt of satisfaction coming from his throat as the lower half of his body throbbed with pleasure, "If I beep this phone twice, use your knife to take a finger from the youngest one!"

"Yes, Sir."

Patrick placed the cell phone within easy reach on the counter behind Selena's head. He said, "Finish me, My Toy! Show me your defeat!" 

Selena's tears fell down her face, but she stopped fighting him and began to work him off deeply, completely. She felt Patrick's arousal increase with each stroke of conquering her. He kept her head between his large hands. He ignored the gagging noises she made, uncaring if she choked. He refused to let her close her eyes, ripping her hair every time she tried. She tasted him and knew he was ready to explode. She began to withdraw, but he pulled her hair and admonished, "Oh No! Your first penalty for betraying the King's game, My Toy. You will swallow me now!" He did not wait for her to comply, but held her mouth against him and then sank his length inside her mouth until he felt himself spasm and then empty down her throat. He growled and smiled as her throat constricted around him, causing him to orgasm again. He withdrew and left her on her knees, "Very good, My Toy, you should be thankful I chose to enjoy your mouth and not beat you for betraying me," while he grabbed the towel that had once been in her mouth to clean himself off with.  He closed his pants, but left his belt undone, letting her know that he was not finished with her. 

He caressed her cheek, "I've started a new game. I call it Patrick's Let's Make a Deal." He pulled her up off her knees and backed her into the built-in double oven. He spread her legs apart with his foot while using her breasts to keep her still. He needed to keep up his physical possession of her to drive the power he had over her deep into her consciousness. He whispered, "I own you! Would you like me to make you climax! I've done it to you before!" Her eyes shot daggers at him, but her body tensed from fighting him. He continued, "See you have something I want and now I have something you want! If you help me to steal Knight's car and help me to keep him out of the way for a while, you will win your sisters' lives back. But one wrong move and I'll take payment from them, one piece at a time. Do you understand the rules, My Toy? Will you play the game?" He had unbuttoned her blouse as he spoke. He pushed the blouse off her shoulders until it pulled her elbows together and was trapped to her arms by her bound hands. Her bra was stretched tightly above her breasts, exposing her nipples to his eager fingers. She looked down at what he was doing and her face became deeply red with shame.

He had beaten her. Her eyes gazed over at the cell phone, the only link she still had with her sisters and then dropped below his gaze. She tried to resume the submissive position he had taught her before. She believed the situation was now hopeless, "Yes, Patrick, you know I'm going to play. What do you want me to do?"

"Good girl! I just knew you'd want to play," smiled Patrick. "Now first, I want you to..." He began to describe his house on a cliff near the ocean.

Selena wanted him to quit torturing her and get on with it. She commented, "I know the place, Patrick. I've been there remember! Get to the point!" Patrick could see Selena's independent side fighting her submissive side...the side that he controlled. Patrick hated her small defiances; but he continued to explain his plans to her. She could not believe what he wanted and argued, "And what am I suppose to tell him?" 

Patrick outlined her jaw with his finger and sneered, "I'm sure you will think of something, Selena."

She tried to wiggle away from him, using her shoulder to push him away from her.  She complained, "I can't just lie to him! He'll know it immediately. How can I be convincing! Patrick, what you are asking is impossible!"

Patrick's mouth became a thin line of irritation. He realized what he needed to do to her. Patrick flipped her back over and pushed her against the counter. He pushed his body against hers to keep her pinned under him. He admonished, "Don't push me away again, Selena. It is against the rules. Now, you'll do what I said or one of your sisters will lose a finger! Understand!" He laid her head so that her eyes could see the cell phone laying next to her. It was so close, she could almost touch the device; if her hands were free. He spoke, "You are helpless! Get it!"

He continued to play with her hair and her neck, her upper arms. He made sure she could feel his body pressing against hers. His mouth found her tattoo and he licked it with his tongue, nursing it until he'd left red marks over it. He bit down drawing a small whimper of pain from Selena. She tried to move away from him and he again pressed her firmly into the counter. Selena had no choice but to remain motionless against the counter. She nodded, "Ok, Patrick, I'm yours. I'll do as you ask."

He saw her blink away her tears and felt her body go limp in resignation underneath him. He knew her spirit was breaking down. He wanted to make sure that she wouldn't betray him again, so he said, "Now, there is something else I want you to answer." He pulled her jeans down her legs and then dropped his own pants. He warned her, "And every time you give me answer I like, I'm going to fuck your pussy.  Every time you give me an answer I don't like, I'm gonna fuck your ass! We both know which one will be more pleasurable for you, my Toy. Both will give me great pleasure."

She looked down at the tiled wall beyond the counter as he continued to brush her hair out of her eyes. Bile rose up in her throat each time he touched her. Her determination to fight sank with each stroke. She sniffled, "What to you want to know?"

"That's My toy, I knew you'd play again." He made his possession of her nether lips slow and methodical. First invading her with his fingers. He heard her whimper in both pain and rising passion. He laughed at her fighting her own body. He did not want her to have a pleasurable experience either, so he pushed her into the edge of the counter until she squealed and tried to fight him, her head thrashing from side to side. He got her to climax once to bring out her juices to lubricate his cock. He had to be careful to refrain from getting to excited. He maintained control over his passion for raping Selena by concentrating on torturing her with his hands. He again buried his erection into her tight walls, his hands holding her thighs apart, pulling her back against him. He used his thumbs to find her pleasure knob and massaged it to ripe stiff rock. Then when he felt her begin to crest, he stopped. He asked, "Now, what were you talking about in the office earlier? How much does the Foundation know?"

Closing her eyes, Selena shook off everything he was making her body feel and panted, "No...th...ing, P...p...patrick. Michael only knows about the auction and...and the island. The Foundation only has that one file I gave them last night, I...I sw...swear!" She hated her body for succumbing to his manipulations. She hated him for making her helpless.

Pulling her head off the counter by her hair, Patrick replied into her ear ramming her pelvis into the cabinet below the counter, "You are lieing to me, Selena!" He pulled out of her pussy and violently shoved two fingers into her pussy, lubricated them, and began to assault her anus. She cried at the invasion, feeling the cords around her wrists tighten as she struggled within it. Patrick demanded, "Now tell me exactly what you've told the Foundation and what their next move is?"

Closing her eyes to the pain that Patrick was inflicting, Selena repeated, "I don't know what you are talking about, Patrick. I only told you that because I was angry and I wanted you to leave me alone!"

"Selena!" Patrick grabbed her bound hands and held her from moving away from the counter. He moved his length against her rear oriface and drove it inside her...ripping through the barriers. He kept moving in and out, each time getting himself buried further and further inside her as she screamed for him to stop. He replied violently punctuating each point with his demands, "I want to know what is going on now! There is no one to protect you anymore! I told you that you'd never be out of my grasp! I can do anything I want to you! I hold all the pieces to this game! I have the queen and her pawns! Now tell me what I want to know!" Once he had buried his shaft almost completely up to her rectum and could go no more, he completely covered her body with his own, his face getting into her face, his body smashing her upper torso against the counter, and her stomach into the edge of the countertop slicing it.

Selena cried out in pain, her resistance slipping away, "You're under investigation by the FBI. Devon Miles turned all the information I gave him, plus the information he had been able to gather before over to them and now they are watching your every move. They are planning to shut you down the moment they connect you with the stolen chemicals from that army base in Texas and Caiti's death."

"Ahhhhhhh...Yes, My beautiful Toy!" He did not withdraw from her instead spreading her right thigh farther apart to rest over his right arm. He used his thumb to play with her nether lips while shoving three fingers up inside until she was full in both ends. Again he felt her body become liquid against his shaft and hands. She had closed her eyes trying to still fight her response to his manipulations. "And what part do you play in all of this, My Toy?"

"I'm...I'm their...their...their only witness." As she moaned through her confessions, she felt him begin to move a top her, his strokes getting faster and faster. He pulled from her rear oriface and returned to her nether lips with his shaft. He slammed against her, the strokes getting faster and deeper. He growled as he ejaculated into her, making sure every drop went up inside her womb. He laughed when he felt her pussy clamp down on him in an orgasm of her own. He knew however that though her body responded to him, her mind rebelled at having been forced to orgasm. She would now be his again, hopefully this would stop her defiant side from betraying him again. There was one last thing to force her to his will and control over her life. He wanted her helplessness burned in her memory. He lifted her up, then pulled her off the counter. 

As he turned her to face him, he found her silk blouse ripped and blood stained around her waist where the countertop had been smashed against her torso. Her breasts were raw too from the friction created as they were rubbed against the counter. He waited for her to look up at him and then let his open palm fly across her cheek. He snarled, "That is for letting The Knight fuck My Queen...My Toy!" She was shoved backwards by his hand connecting with her face. He saw hate in her eyes and a still small desire to fight him, to tell Michael. He pictured her revealing all he had "trusted" her with to Michael and Devon Miles. She had betrayed him. She cowered in front of him, using the counter to keep herself standing; her bound hands holding on to the handle of a drawer behind her. Patrick grabbed her hair and knocked her back towards the oven.

But Selena's legs were trapped, her balance way off. She landed to her knees on the ground, her jeans tieing up her legs as he cursed, "How dare you betray me, Bitch! I trusted you! You knew the rules of the game, yet you defied me and joined the enemy!" Patrick was triumphant at her position. He stood over her, his own pants still down his legs, his spent member still dripping from his assault on her. He watched Selena trembling in his presence, her mind trying to find some defense, some way to cope with what he had done to her. He used her hair to clean himself up as He advised, "I've given you another chance, Toy." He closed his pants, buckling his belt. He withdrew another wine glass from her cabinet, poured a glass and drank down its contents. He watched her very carefully, making sure she didn't move a muscle until he gave her permission to.  She had curled up in a little ball on the floor in front of her oven, her body shaking with unshed tears. Patrick poured more wine into the glass. He picked Selena up. He wanted to test her submission. He held out the glass of wine and ordered, "Drink, My Toy. A Toast to the New Game. To No More unpleasantness between us." Selena opened her mouth and allowed Patrick to feed her the wine. He kissed her lips, she did not flinch nor fight him. He teased her nipples and she remained perfectly still. He gave her another sip of the wine and then licked the extra drops from her lips and chin. He immensely enjoyed his power of having his favorite doll, his "Toy" again. Finally, he took the cord from around her wrists and then embraced her. He semi-gently lifted her chin and looked in her eyes, "Don't break the rules again, My Toy. Please, I don't want to have to go through another session like today. I'd rather our sexual encounters to be pleasurable for both of us. OK, My Toy" He hugged her.

Selena evaded looking at him and nodded. Patrick smiled greedily over the power he had just seized. He was hopeful there would be no more of her defiant outbursts. She was his toy and no one would ever take her away from him. If it did happen again, he promised himself that he'd kill her. He took out his handkerchief and handed it to Selena. "Now, let's get you cleaned up before Mr. Knight comes back. I wouldn't want you to have to explain why you stink of your punishment." He escorted her upstairs and into her bathroom. He stripped her of her torn and stained clothes. Then he ordered her into the shower where he washed her body, washed her hair...touching every part of her body without protest from Selena. His eyes lowered in satisfaction and a slight smile touched his lips when he felt her breath again in resignation and her proud shoulders sink lower down her body. Her eyes never met his and he couldn't tell if her cheeks were still wet with the water he used to rinse her with or more tears. He continued to help her change her clothes while he informed her of the rest of his plans. When all traces of his rape of her person was gone from her body and she was fully dressed again; Patrick kissed her deeply, invading her mouth with his tongue, and then he disappeared.

Once again, Selena was left alone, but this time her mood became sour as she faced the difficult task that lay ahead. Inside she was falling into a deep cavern of depression as she picked up the telephone that Patrick had unplugged and took the cord that had bound her wrists and connected the telephone back to the wall. Her mind was kept constantly busy with images of Patrick using her, taking control of every aspect of her life. She knew now that he had resumed their sexual relationship in the manner she hated, he would want more and would take it from her. She brushed that horror away knowing there were more important things to worry about; like her sisters' lives and now Michael's. She stopped caring about her own, still feeling the whore from the way her body enjoyed the sweetness of Michael's gentle touch, yet reacted to Patrick's invasion in the same way. For them she would make the sacrifice and play the game Patrick wanted her to play. She heard a car pulling into her driveway outside and Michael beeping his horn. She checked her face in the mirror where only a small scratch and a light bruise touched her cheek very close to her ear. She pulled her hair over to cover it. She inspected her wrists. Upon seeing the nasty welts and blood damp cuts...evidence of the cord, she grimaced knowing that there was no way to hide those now. She hoped Michael wouldn't notice them as she ran to the door and waved for him to come in. She hoped that the way Patrick had dressed her for Michael's arrival would cloud his eye for detail. As he walked up the driveway, she wrapped her long, thick cotton bathrobe around her nude body and forced herself to look happy. Her brain screamed for her to talk to him and she fought the urge. When he reached the door, she calmly said, "What did Devon need you for?"

Michael replied in frustration, "I'm not sure. I think I have been on a wild goose chase. The officer watching your sister's school disappeared. Then Devon got a call from someone claiming to have proof that Patrick was at the shooting range last night with Caiti. But when I got to the spot to meet him, he never showed. Has everything been all right here?" Michael was pleased and curious at the clothes, or lack of them, that Selena had greeted him in. He commented, fingering the robes loose collar, his soft fingers caressing her neck, "What is this? I thought you'd be ready to go? Where are Jasmine and Tina? I want to get the three of you back to the Foundation."

Selena now understood how Patrick had arranged to kidnap her sisters. She crossed her fingers and lied, "Well, do you remember my Aunt Marie?"

Michael answered, "Yeah, she got sick Wednesday and couldn't watch the girls for you anymore."

"That's right," She replied, "Well, she showed up her out of the blue. She is going to visit family in San Francisco. She offered to take the girls with her. I took her up on it and they left a little while ago."

"Don't you want them to have our protection?" Michael asked in concern.

Selena shrugged, "It won't be necessary. My family runs a vineyard outside the city. They will be able to keep them hidden; they did it before when I got in trouble the last time. And Patrick doesn't know I have family outside of My Aunt and Uncle...so...now the Foundation only needs to protect me." She encircled his neck in a hug and suggested, "Now as for my simple state of dress, well..." She purred, "I thought we could take advantage of the situation. Since we are alone tonight, Mr. Knight. We could go out and play before I have to be locked up at the Foundation. Or we could stay here and play...sort of a repeat of last night only without the nightmares afterwards?" She wrapped herself around him, pulling his head to hers to tease his lips with her own.

Enjoying the sound of her idea, Michael returned her open invitation, letting his hands release the sash that held the robe closed. He molded her nude form against his clothed one and asked, "What did you have in mind?" He reached around her with his strong hands, cupping her rear and then lifting up slightly until she was standing on her tiptoes. Her arms went around his neck and they attacked each other's lips furiously.

Selena heard Patrick's voice repeated his game to her in her head. She suggested, her breath hot against Michael's ear, "Oh, a little dinner, a little wine, and maybe a little dancing. What do you say?"

"How 'bout if I pick you up at 7:30." She kissed him again and then watched him go away.

When she was sure he was long gone, she picked up the phone and relayed her plans for the evening to Patrick. He informed her that he would call her just before it was time for her to leave and then let her off the line. He had reminded her that she was his toy and that she should remember to be a "good girl or else". As she placed the phone down on the counter, she violently tossed Patrick's wine glass against the oven door in the kitchen. The crash splattered red wine and shattered glass pieces everywhere. For a second, she watched in satisfaction as the wine dripped down onto the floor. Satisfaction evaporated into frustration as she realized how much power he had over her and she laid her head down on the counter and cried.

Her tears fell until sleep came to calm and sooth her mind. The telephone would not let her succumb to her emotional exhaustion. She raised her head from the counter and stared at the telephone. She pulled her emotions behind a strong steel wall as she picked up the telephone and greeted, "Hello?"

"Selena, I just spoke to Michael about your plans." The voice was Devon Miles, he sounded concerned.

Selena numbed herself to the sound, remembering that it was he who talked her into letting her sisters leave the Foundation that morning. Her reply was short and barely civil, "OH, Hello Mr. Miles. I am so sorry I didn't call you. I made the decision so fast and then Michael showed up right after they disappeared. I knew that he would tell you what happened to the girls."

Bonnie asked, "Selena, where does your aunt live? Maybe we can arrange some kind of protection for them. I could notify the authorities in her area to put a watch on her house."

Selena rushed out, "Oh, NO...No...Mr. Miles. I decided the situation was better taken care of by me. No one better to trust than family right!"

Devon interrupted, "Selena, you asked me to protect you and your sisters. How can I do that if they are hundreds of miles away?"

Selena slightly spat, "Mr. Miles, I've experienced the kind of protection you put in place for us. And when I heard that the person who was supposed to guard my sisters left the school grounds, I knew I had to find a better way. I mean the guy who was supposed to be guarding me left me without even saying good-bye. He hasn't even come back yet!"

Bonnie asked, hearing Selena's voice become angry, "What are you talking about?"

Devon countered, "Selena, something has gone wrong, hasn't it?"

Selena realized she had said too much and tried to fix it. She softened her tone, "Devon, Bonnie, I promise nothing has happened. I just knew my sisters would be safer and happier with family. My Aunt showed up unexpectedly, so off they went. I am still going to be coming to the Foundation tonight. So please don't worry, I'm taking care of things from now on." With that, she hung up.

Selena began to rationalize her predicament by convincing herself that KITT was just a car, a machine that would pay for her sisters' safe return. She blamed Devon for letting them be abducted. She convinced herself that it was only right that he trade KITT for their lives. The anger she that should have been directed at Patrick was now directed at Devon. She tried not to think about what she was doing because she knew it would hurt Michael; and, although she had hardened herself against the Foundation, she could never hate Michael. She put aside her emotions and vowed to make their last night as friends the best. She took a deep breath and pushed herself upstairs to get ready for her date with Michael.

Meanwhile Michael drove into The Knight Industries' semi-trailer where Bonnie and Devon greet him inside. Michael asked, "Well, did you talk to her?"

Bonnie replied, "Both of us did."

Devon assessed, "I don't like it, Michael."

Bonnie explained, "She sounded different. She was cold and there seemed to be anger on the edge of her voice."

Devon speculated, "And it seemed to be directed at me. Something is wrong. I know it is."

Michael disagreed, "Maybe you two just misunderstood. She seemed happy to me, even suggesting that we go out for a night on the town."

Bonnie suggested, "Michael, you need to talk to her. She is not telling the truth. The guard that was suppose to be watching her sisters showed up in the hospital with a very nasty bump on his head."

Michael tried to picture his last meeting with Selena. He promised, as he sat back inside KITT, "I'll check it out. I'm sure when she finds out about the guard, she'll tell me where her sisters are."

Devon replied, "Meanwhile, I think I'll give the San Francisco police a call. Maybe they can locate Selena's family there and confirm that Jasmine and Tina are with them."

Bonnie questioned, "What happened after the two of you left this morning?"

Michael thought about their trip to Judson International. He remembered how angry Selena was when she got back in the car. Maybe Patrick pushed her into sending her sisters away. He voiced his suspicions, "We did go by Judson's, Devon."

Devon replied, "I know. Patrick Sr. telephoned and said that Selena had told him about Caiti. He seemed very agitated and hurried. We're suppose to meet at the Beverly Hills Golf course to exchange more information and then he will go into hiding."

Michael explained, "Selena did seem a little preoccupied when she was through delivering a warning to Patrick Sr. Maybe she decided that the best thing for her to do was to send her sisters to a place where no one would know where they were. But like I said, Devon, I'll check it out. As she is still letting me protect her, so we'll be at the Foundation late tonight." He waved "Good-by" and carefully backed out of the truck.


	5. Trapping Knight Ch5

Knight Rider 2010

Trapping Knight With A Queen

Written by  
Ldydeb  
Chapter Five

Seven Thirty finally arrived as Selena finished putting on her earrings and poured herself another drink before Michael arrived. She gazed at her face in her make up mirror, double checking to make sure she had adequately covered up the red welt rising along her ear. She thought spitefully that Patrick seemed to be an expert at being able to hit in places that would hide his mark on her. She had easily been able to arrange her hair to hide what cosmetics could not. Going back to her bedroom, she added more of her clothes to her overnight bag and then brought it downstairs. She heard the telephone ring in Jasmine's room and paused to get it. Before she could speak, Patrick asked, "Are you alone?"

"Yes, I'm alone. Can't your spies tell you that? I know they are watching me," coldly replied Selena.

"I called to give you more instructions. I don't want you to stay out too late."

Selena mocked, "Oh yes, Daddy, I'll make sure we come home very early."

Patrick countered impatiently, "Selena! Have you been drinking? You are really stretching my patience."

Selena quickly fell in line and quietly apologized, her eyes automatically assuming a submissive attitude, "I am sorry, Patrick."

Patrick wanted more. He said, "I didn't hear you, My Toy."

Selena rolled her eyes, hating herself and him. She said, "Please, Patrick...You know you've won. I won't betray you again, I have too much to lose."

Patrick became stern, "I still will not hear you, Toy, not yet."

Selena bit her lip and finally replied, "I am sorry, Sir. I am ready to obey your every command."

Patrick smiled in satisfaction, "Good Toy. Now are you wearing the items I had delivered to you today?" 

Selena looked at her reflection in Jasmine's room, her eyes filled with loathing and humiliation. She replied quietly, sniffling back tears, "Yes, Sir Patrick. As you have ordered."

Patrick murmured huskily, "Very Good. I am sure you will remember me now while taking care of Mr. Knight." He continued his instructions; "I want you to introduce him to the Bombay Club after dinner. It is not too far from your final destination and that will make things much easier to accomplish. Order both of you a drink and have a good time. Someone will meet you there to help you take care of him."

Selena asked, "Is there a specific time you want us there?" As they finished the conversation, Selena looked out Jasmine's window to see KITT parking in her driveway. She informed Patrick and they disconnected with each other. Selena looked at herself in Jasmine's bedroom mirror. She looked at the pictures of her sisters that Jasmine kept taped to the glass. Touching each picture, she almost cried thinking that she was going to get them home safe. She closed her eyes fighting the nausea she felt every time she submitted to Patrick. She took a deep cleansing breath, grabbed her overnight bag, and ran down the stairs to meet Michael at the door. She tossed the bag by the back wall of the entrance hall, smoothed her dress, and then opened the door. Her eyes were treated to a wonderful surprise. Michael greeted her wearing an off-white sports jacket over a light blue dress shirt and slacks to match the jacket. She admired the way he had left his shirt slightly open to reveal his broad, suntanned chest.

Michael was pleased with the way Selena's eyes flashed approvingly towards him and he could have sworn she licked her lips. He commented, "I guess you approve?" He took the opportunity to gaze at the way she had dressed for him. Her dress was of black lace over silk. The skirt twirled around her legs, the sleeves laying slightly off the shoulder, the neckline curving down, over her breasts and then up to the other shoulder. She wore a fringed, lacey shawl over the top. On her wrists she wore large matching, gold bangles. The bangles held the design of a chess board. What should have been the white squares sparkled with a diamond cut design, the black squares a brushed yellow gold. The gold bands closed about her wrist with a latch that disappeared inside the bracelet, a second delicate chain attached to a small ring as a safety clasp. Around her neck she wore a necklace that matched exactly. The necklace held a charm that was the image of the chess piece of the queen. She wore a simple pair of diamond stud earrings in her ears. She had curled her hair to frame her face, allowing her to hide behind her locks and look at Michael with her lowered, heavy, and very intoxicated eyes. Michael did wonder at her choice in jewelry, but lost the desire to ask about it when Selena stepped into him.

The wine Selena had been consuming all afternoon had gone to her head. Her sense of restraint had been subdued. She leaned seductively against Michael and purred, "You, My Knight in the Shining White Suite, look absolutely perfect." She drew his mouth to hers and kissed him passionately. Michael's head became intoxicated from the wine on her breath and her hands lightly holding him against her. He returned her kiss and encircled her in a hug that crushed the soft black lace of her dress against her arm. He had a feeling this was the perfect start to what promised to be a perfect evening.

Michael and Selena spent the next couple of hours in complete abandon. Selena wanted to make sure that Michael would remember this part of their date forever. After dinner, she convinced him to take her to Patrick's club. They were seated and had ordered drinks. Then Michael spirited Selena off to the dance floor and whirled her around for an eternity. During the second dance of the evening, Michael had taken Selena's hand in his, her bracelet sliding down a bit. He noticed her eyes become glassy with pain, looked at her wrists, and found the raw skin she had tried to hide underneath. He started to ask, but Selena danced away from him teasing him with a seductive smile and dance movements. Then Michael had tried to ask Selena about her sisters again, but every time he did, she took another drink and pretended she had not heard him. At first he was glad that she was trying to forget her troubles with a little liquor, but after she had consumed a fourth glass of wine on top of what he knew from the empty bottle he had seen on her counter before they left her kitchen that evening, told him she wasn't just trying to forget her troubles. He sensed something was very wrong and began to cut her off from drinking so much. Instead, he kept her on the dance floor or eating something to combat the alcohol in her system. Little did Michael know that his troubles were going to get more complicated than just keeping his date from drinking herself to death. 

Selena, though not aware of Michael's subtle attempts to get her sober, did feel her alcohol-induced numbness to her problems beginning to ebb. She smiled up at Michael as he held her in his arms to a slow dance song. She almost cried in that moment because of the guilt that rose up to convince her not to go through with Patrick's plan. Then Michael expertly led her through a series of dance steps and he tried to bend her back. His hip pressed into her stomach and she had to bite her tongue from crying out in pain. She shook away the memory of Patrick's body pushing her into the counter and the slice he had left in her stomach afterwards. Instead, she kissed Michael and threw herself back into the fantasy she had created with Michael of the perfect evening.

Interrupting their evening was a voice over a loud speaker paging Michael to come to the cashier's desk for a telephone call. Selena froze as she was brought back to reality. Michael disappeared into the crowd and she knew that her dream was over and her nightmare was about to begin again. She looked over at their table and saw Patrick's friend, Lenox, waiting for her. When she was comfortable, he admonished, "I've been watching you, Miss Kirk. You've been drinking too much."

"Just get this over with!" She remarked, "What am I suppose to do?"

"First smile. If Mr. Knight returns I want him to think we're old friends."

"That will be the day."

"Just give me your hand." Lenox held her hand and enclosed a vial in it, "Put this in Knight's drink before he gets back. It will not hurt him; just make him a little drunk. When the drug takes affect, drive him and his car to the house."

Selena asked, "Where am I suppose to put him once I get there?"

Lenox replied, "Take him to the attic apartment and put the car into the double garage for safe keeping. Here are the keys so you can get in. Make sure Knight is secured inside the room. Patrick wants you to meet him in his room. We want to discuss some further business for you do to tomorrow."

Selena prevented him from getting up, demanding, "Further business! What are you talking about? I deliver Michael and you give me back my sisters. That was the deal."

Lenox glanced over at the bar and noticed Michael coming toward them. He replied, "Don't get excited, Miss Kirk, just deliver the merchandise and we'll deliver yours afterwards. Now put this in his drink before he returns." Lenox watched her add the drug into Michael's glass and then he kissed her cheek before leaving her alone.

Lenox had only been gone a few seconds when Michael sat down and asked, "Who was that?" He held the drugged glass in his hand and drank the entire contents.

Ashamed of what she had been forced to do, Selena impatiently watched Michael drink the poison. The alcohol induced high she had been escaping with all evening had been driven from her system. She felt very cold and very sober. "Well, the first step is over. I betrayed him," she thought, "There is no turning back." Out loud, she answered, "I'm sorry, Michael. What did you say?"

"Forget it, Selena. Are you ready to go back to the dance floor again?" Michael felt his mind wander off for a second and then Selena's smiling face went a little haywire. Michael blinked and grabbed the side of the table for balance. When things became clear again, he heard Selena asking him if he was all right. As he answered, "I'm fine," the room began to spin again.

Selena gently shook his shoulder and suggested, "Maybe we should go, Michael. I know we've both done a little too much partying tonight."

Michael slurred, "But...But I've...I've only had three drinks...I think." His stomach leapt into his chest, burning his throat.

Selena pressed, "Come on, Michael. People are starting to stare. Let me take you out of here." She gathered her shawl and purse and edged out of their booth. She signaled to a nearby waiter and he came over to the table. Quickly she made sure that Michael was almost unconscious again and then she ordered, "Please put our bill on Patrick Judson's account. I'm his secretary and this is a client of his."

"Yes, Miss Kirk, I remember you," responded the waiter, "Do you need any help with him?"

Selena smile uncomfortably, "No, thank you...but could you have our car brought around to the front?" Picking through Michael's jacket, she fished out their parking number and handed it to the waiter. After he disappeared, she prodded Michael out of his stupor, "Michael, Darling, I'm going to get you out of here. I am so sorry."

Unable to think for himself, Michael nodded and cooperated with Selena. He leaned against her for support until they reached KITT. KITT saw the trouble that Selena was having and opened the passenger door for her. KITT asked, "What happened to him?"

Michael answered loudly, "KITT, ole buddy! How ya doin!" He reached over to push the ignition but Selena caught his hand.

She soothed, "Just relax, Michael. I am taking care of everything. You just hang on for the ride." While hurrying to the driver's side, She tripped on a rock and broke her shoe. She was able to brace herself on KITT's hood instead of falling on it.

KITT sensed her condition and offered, "Maybe I should drive?"

Selena refused, "I can drive, KITT. I am not the one who got drunk. Besides, I'm taking him to a place where he can sober up before Devon sees him."

"No problem, Selena, I trust you," replied KITT.

KITT's remark made Selena feel guilty again. But even as she felt it, she quickly reminded herself that she was doing the right thing by trading a car that could be replaced for her sisters who could not be. "Am I doing the right thing," she thought. 

Driving along the quiet lonely highway gave her time to think about what she was doing. She hated the fact that no matter which way she turned, she was hurting someone she loved. But as she thought about her sisters being tortured by Patrick, and him torturing her as he had done that afternoon, her fear of him reinforced her determination to follow his orders. Before she could do anymore soul searching, the long driveway that she knew led to Patrick's mansion appeared. She drove up it and stopped before an iron gate, which connected to tall brick walls. Behind the gate was the grounds that surrounded a huge three story, Tudor styled mansion. KITT surveyed the grounds and asked, "Selena, where are we?" He had become suspicious as the drive took longer than he expected. It was then that he scanned Michael's body for signs of alcohol. Instead he found the drug that had incapacitated him. He said, "What's wrong with Michael?"

Selena lied, "I told you. He's drunk."

Selena ignored him and pushed the bell on the security box outside the big gates. She announced herself and the gates opened. She was about to shift into drive, but KITT took control and demanded, "No, he is not, Selena, what did you give him? What are you doing?"

She evaded, "Nothing. Now don't play anymore games and let me go on." Before KITT could protest further, Selena switched back to manual control and the gate closed behind them. After parking near the big mansion, she began the process of getting Michael out of the car and up to the attic apartment. Halfway up the dark flight of stairs, his weight started to bear down on her and she tried to get him to wake up a little more. She managed to get him to at least open his eyes, but he could not keep them open. Finally, after twice giving up and falling, she got him into his disguised prison cell.

Once inside the little attic apartment, she laid him gently on the bed and let him sleep. She knew that she was supposed to put handcuffs on him, but she could not bear to do it tonight. She walked around the room and found her suitcase and a picture of her sisters lying on top of the dresser near the double bed. There was a note from Patrick inside the frame. She read it and mumbled that he had a sick sense of humor. She threw the note in the garbage. Then she retrieved her light blue silk pajama set and matching robe from her bag. She had just slipped her dress off when she heard Michael begin to stir. She hoped that the drug she had given him was finally beginning to wear off. She had been cussing out Patrick as she changed and Michael smiled up at her. Through the fog in his brain and the darkness of the room, he saw the beautiful woman he'd been dreaming about dressed in only a soft silk full-slip. He grabbed her hand as she slipped into a long robe and asked, "What are you so angry about?"

She sat down on the edge of the bed and smiled, "I was wishing you had not passed out on me."

Michael rubbed his head and said, "My head feels the same. I am sorry I drank so much." He tried to get up, but the room began to spin again and his stomach lurched. He held his head in pain and lay back down. His eyes looked around the unfamiliar room in the dark and asked, "How did...where are we?"

Selena caressed his cheek and said, "At a friends. I thought you could use some time to sober up before Devon sees you again." 

Michael's head cleared again, his eyes finding the view of Selena's body peeking out at him from under her robe. He slipped his hand inside her robe and pulled her to lie beside him. He laughed, "Well, Lady, since I can't seem to move without the room spinning; you are just going to have to help me get well before the morning." He kissed her urgently, seductively. Selena felt her tears hot on her cheeks as she felt her body become soft and open to Michael's touch. After the violence she had experienced at Patrick's touch, to be made love to by Michael would be so healing and subtly bring her own form of revenge on Patrick. She whispered into Michael's ear, coaxing him to take her, make love to her. Her hands cascading down his chest and then going to his back where she raked her nails as she wrapped a leg around his waist and pushed herself under him. She closed her eyes to his kisses, arching her neck to give him complete freedom to arouse her all of her senses. 

As Michael moved against her, his lips on her skin, his body enjoying her seducing hands the heady feeling returned to his head. He wanted to remain inside her for as long as possible, but the need to be unconscious, the need to prevent himself from feeling the burning nausea from before was coming back full speed. 

Selena felt Michael's hesitation. She looked into his eyes and grimaced at the pain she saw there. Then they became glazed over and she knew he was about to pass out again. She realized that KITT was still parked by the house, so she coaxed Michael back to sleep, slipped out from under him and then hurried outside to put KITT into the garage. As she descended the stairs, she tied her robe more securely around her partially clothed body.

Outside, Patrick had waited for quite awhile for Selena to leave the attic where Knight was now his prisoner. He opened and closed the garage door for her. He confronted her in front of KITT. She tried to leave, but Patrick pulled her aside and demanded, "Toy, Where are you going?"

"Back to the attic."

KITT's monitor came on and Patrick asked, "What is that?"

Selena looked over and explained, "The alarm system."

Patrick pushed, "Shut it off. It won't be needed here."

Selena argued, "I can't. I don't know how."

He pushed her at the car and repeated, "Shut if off, or I will."

"I'd love to see you try that." The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. She stuck her head inside KITT and pleaded, "Shut down, KITT. Please don't cause any trouble."

KITT refused, "What is going on, Selena?"

"Nothing! Just shut down."

"Where is Michael?"

"Check it out, KITT. But please, please shut down."

Patrick looked in and asked, "What is taking you so long, Selena?"

"I'm doing the best that I can, Patrick," explained Selena. "You know Michael didn't exactly roll out the red carpet and teach me about every little gizmo that this thing does."

"Well do it faster!" He ordered. KITT finally relented and became silent. When Selena was safely outside, he locked his doors and darkened the windows. Patrick held out his hand and requested; "Now I want the keys."

Selena pretended to misunderstand him, "KITT...I mean...the car doesn't use keys."

"I want the keys to the room, Selena."

Dropping her hands in her robe's pockets, She shrugged, "I left them up in the room. I guess I'll have to give them to you in the morning."

Sighing, Patrick shoved her against KITT's slick side, roughly hitting her back. He held her there while searching for the keys in her pockets. He warned, "You broke another rule of the game, Toy! I will have those keys." 

Pushing him away from her, Selena threw the keys at him and threatened, "Here! Patrick Sir! Yes, you have forced me to play this game again! But if you abuse me again..." She saw the dangerous look on Patrick's face, but remembered Michael in the attic and KITT within easy reach to her. She got in Patrick's face and promised, "Remember, Patrick, I can undo what I've done!" She squared her shoulders and ran back into the house. Upon entering the room, she found Michael still asleep. She stretched out her exhaustion and tiptoed over to a bay window on the far side of the room. She cuddled up inside the large, cushioned window seat and pulled a blanket around her legs. Upon inspection, she discovered that someone had forgotten to nail it shut. She pushed it open a crack and allowed herself to escape into the fresh ocean breeze. Soon she stared blankly at the cliff that marked the end of Patrick's property. If she cared to, she could have seen the beach and ocean beyond the cliff. For some reason, she began to feel warm and safe. She began to drift out of consciousness.

Little did she know that her security came from Michael coming to stand behind her. He had come over to enjoy the view when he noticed the tears still wet on her slumbering face. He gently brushed her cheek, but she jumped up and swatted away his hand. She had raised her hands in defense, trying to prevent him from getting to her. He heard her whimpered, "No, Patrick!" Then she met his gaze; her terror filled eyes became soft and she allowed him to withdraw her from her hide-away. She sought the comfort he offered within the sanctuary of his arms. As he tried to kiss away her troubles, she felt him sway against her and she could see that he was becoming groggy again. She helped him back over to the bed. She used what she believed were her last moments as Michael's friend...his lover as just that. She pushed him to lie down. He reached out for her hands. When she took his fingers within hers, he pulled her to lie on top of him. She poured herself into making love to him, opening his shirt incredibly slow, teasing his skin with her sharp fingernails. She kissed his skin like she was kissing a flower's petals. She moved down his body removing his clothes, blazing a trail with her lips, savoring each spot as if she were trying to burn it to her memory. Each sliver of touch, each breath blown against his skin brought shivers to Michael's body. He was floating as his angel, his queen pushed him to the limits of Love's passions. Out of the depths of his dreams he felt her tears wetting his chest, her hair drying his nipples. As her passion rose and she became lost on the climb to climax, he heard her reciting over and over that she was sorry, begging him to forgive her. Michael didn't understand, only feeling both the wonderful joys of being loved by this wonderful woman and the sickness of whatever had invaded his body. Within the moon light, he could not stand her teasing any longer. He clasped her body to his and rolled over until she was pinned beneath him. He parted her thighs easily with his and dove deeply into her body. Their lips joined as each sought to fulfill their needs. Michael felt his body draining him of strength as he felt himself orgasm inside Selena's warm body, her legs wrapping around him like a vice, her hips arching, meeting him thrust for thrust...helping him, herself to find sanctuary in orgasm's haven. Finally, his eyes slightly opened to see her cheeks drenched with tears yet a small smile touching her lips. She held him like a child against her chest until he fell asleep. She whispered, "Thank you, My Knight. Please don't hate me tomorrow morning when you find out I'm nothing more than Patrick's toy...his whore!" When she was sure he was asleep again, she pulled the blankets up over them, curled up inside his arms and fell into a troubled sleep of her own.


	6. trapping Knight Ch 6

Knight Rider 2010

Trapping Knight With A Queen

Written by  
Ldydeb  
Chapter Six

The next morning came with a startling revelation for Michael. He wearily turned over feeling very groggy, nauseated, and unsure of what had happened the night before. His head hurt and when he tried to turn over, he seemed to be dragging his left arm with him. Sitting up, he looked to find his clothes thrown in a wrinkled pile on the floor across the room. A pair of sweats waited for him on the nightstand beside the bed. At first he could not remember how he'd lost his clothing, coming into the room, or lying on the bed. Then slowly images filled his head. Selena telling him he was too drunk to drive. Visions of finding her hiding across the room from him in an alcove by the window; of her trying to defend herself from him, her eyes filled with fear and sadness; of her making sweet passionate love to him and of hearing her begging him to forgive her surfaced. But nothing connected or made any sense. Picking up his left arm, he found himself handcuffed to a light chain, which connected him to a hook behind the bed. Looking around, he realized that Selena was missing. The noise of heated voices drifted through the door. Michael went to contact KITT, but whoever locked him up, had taken his wrist communicator.

The voices outside the door were coming closer. He overheard, "I won't do it! Patrick! My end of the bargain was completed last night! I did everything you told me to do! I even lied to...for you! Now I want what you promised me! I've earned it!" The voice was unmistakably Selena's.  She was half protesting, half begging.  What was going on, thought Michael? He tried to listen further.

Patrick's voice countered, "That was before you played whore to Knight! Now You will do exactly what I say if you want me to keep up my end. If you want the prize, My lovely Toy! You will continue to play the game my way!"

Selena's voice was frustrated and unsteady. She charged, "Maybe I'll just undo what I've done! I can you know! I can use that machine against you as well as for you!" The room beyond the door became eerily silent. Michael tried to listen desperately. Then came the sound of skin hitting skin, a crash of something hitting the walls and a whimper of pain seeped through the cracks of the door. More silence followed. Michael could easily picture what Selena got for her defiance. He ran towards the door, but his "leash" pulled him back. Again he was forced to just listen, straining to hear any sound.

Patrick's voice was now controlled and deadly as he said, "...this is my game, My Toy! Unless you'd like another visit to my penalty chamber...or maybe you'd like to see our new guest suffer?" 

"No! Patrick, I'll do it!  I'll do it, just please...Don't hurt..." Michael heard Selena begging, her tears heavy in her voice.

Michael whispered, "What? Who?" He noticed footsteps coming closer to the door and then the lock turning. He made his way back to the bed, found the sweats on the floor and slipped them on up his legs.

Outside the room, Selena heard Michael moving around, so she dried her eyes and tried to look tough. She did not want him to play on her uncertain and shaky emotions. She knew the consequences would endanger all of their lives.  That fact was pounded into when Patrick had yanked her out of bed by her hair very early that morning. She was lead out of the room as one of Patrick's men cuffed a sleeping Michael's wrist to the bed. The look on Patrick's face warned her to be silent. He dragged her through to the other side of the house until they came to his bedroom suite. Once in there, he threw her on the floor. He ordered her to her knees, pulling her into that position again by her hair. He had called her a whore for choosing to stay with Michael instead of coming to his bed like he had ordered her to. She was forced to listen to him berate her for breaking the rules of the game. Still groggy from sleep, Selena barely had time to register his words when he smacked her for not answering him. His voice was so serene yet menacing. She closed her eyes to the memory of him using her bracelets to bind her the bedposts of his bed.  He proceeded to abuse her body, then raped her again. The only words he spoke to her were to call her HIS whore, HIS toy! He promised he would kill Michael if she ever let him touch her again. Then he laughed and told her that if she wanted to play a whore then she'd play whore for him.  To her horror, the man Patrick allowed to tattoo her body joined them in Patrick's chamber of torture.  She was forced to play the whore with both of them before Patrick unveiled the new task he wanted her to perform for him. Her sanity was already overloaded from her body being used and bruised in Patrick's domination of her.  She was fighting the voices inside still telling her to fight back versus the images, the pain of her own flesh pounding her terror and need to submit to avoid more.  She was succumbing to her helplessness and falling into Patrick's complete control.

Now as she stood before the room where she would be forced to face the consequences of her giving into Patrick's demands, She knew she had failed...again.  She should have known that once she gave Patrick what he wanted, he would force her to continue playing his games. Now he was using not only her sisters, physical abuse to her own body, but Michael's life had become another pawn. Taking a breath, she almost caved into her desire to flee and not face Michael. But Patrick wanted her to serve Michael, to let Michael see how Patrick's Queen had captured The Foundation's Knight. She had tried to refuse...even tried to threaten Patrick with letting Michael go.  But her face suffered from that outburst. She looked into a nearby mirror in the hallway. Almost one whole side of her face was now reddened and purple, the corner of her eye a very dark bluish/greenish/black. It was slightly swollen and both of her eyes were blood-shot from crying. She smoothed her hair, pulling the length to hide that side of her face. She took a deep breath and thought, "He has to eat and this confrontation must take place." She braced herself as she entered the room.

Balancing the tray of food, Selena came through the open door. She hoped that if she did not talk to him then he would keep quiet long enough for her to deliver his food. But judging from the look in Michael's eyes, she knew she needed to get out of that room. She could see he wanted to confront her. She turned away from him, setting the tray down on a nearby table within reach of Michael's chain. She concentrated on taking the platters and other things from the tray.  Michael interrupted her task. He demanded, "What is going on, Selena?"

Selena laughed mockingly, "Can't you figure it out, Knight? Or do you need KITT to solve all your problems?"

Michael repeated trying not to be angry, letting her know he would understand, "Please, Selena? Talk to me!"

What he got in return was a verbal slap in the face. Selena flashed a triumphant smile at the window, only letting him see one side of her face, "You were set up, isn't that obvious." She added, "I guess Devon Miles can't protect you either! What a waste!"

Michael pushed, "What is that suppose to mean?"

"Figure it out, Smart Boy," She taunted, trying to make him hate her.

Michael was more confused with this side of Selena that he had never seen before. This was not her, he knew. Between the conversation he overheard outside the door and Selena's attitude on this side of it, He knew there was more than she would, or could tell him. When she first entered the room he was shocked at her appearance. He could only see one side of her face, but he could tell she had been crying. Her hands shook as she carried the tray with food; the glasses and silverware rattling out her nervousness. He knew the only way to get the truth was to get her to break down in front of him. He had to find out what that Character had on her that could make her comply with his every wish. The answer to his question was obvious, but he needed proof. He observed her intently and realized that Selena was refusing to look straight at him. She was purposely keeping her face turned away from him.

Selena did not like the silence between them. She took on a very cold voice and explained, "So you don't strain your brain, Knight, I'll tell you what it means. I was hired to steal KITT from you. I wanna thank you for teaching me all about KITT's functions." She flashed his watch at him.

Michael saw his opportunity, grabbed her outstretched arm, and pulled her around to face him. His intent was to look at her face, but his eyes caught the deep scratches and bloody welts from the phone cord the day before and the gold bangles that had been used on her that morning encircling her wrists and upper hands. When she tried to pull away and turn her face away, he picked up her chin meeting what she was trying to hide. What he found threatened to make him sick. He then pulled her shirt up to see her back, her stomach. She remained docile, ashamed of being abused, of being found out, of being so helpless. She pushed him away and ground, "Are you happy! Did you get a good look, Knight! Now get away from me!" She tried to push him away so she could run out of the room.

Michael wanted to hold her. She had been savagely beaten, yet she was amazingly able to walk, though he could tell she was in some pain. He wanted to shake her into telling him what was really going on. Instead he held his own temper in check and gently traced the cut from Patrick's ring that edged down the outer edge of Selena's face near her ear. He softly begged, "Selena, I want to help you! Tell me the truth! What is going on?"

Patrick waited for the right moment before stepping into the room. He was escorted by two of his guards. He held his hand out for Selena, "My Toy."

Selena looked at Michael and then at Patrick, knowing that what she did next would be the most shameful act she could do, but it was worth it if it kept her sisters and Michael alive. She disengaged herself from Michael's hold and presented herself to Patrick, eyes down. She replied, "Yes, Patrick." She hoped he would not force her to call him "Sir" in front of Michael.

Patrick was pleased with her immediate obedience. He smiled, "Are you ready to go?"

Selena saw him reach out to her and she entered into his embrace. She refused to look back at Michael, yet allowed him to see her smile at Patrick...a smile that never reached her eyes. She said in gratitude, "You are just in time, Patrick."

Patrick caressed her bruised cheek and said, "Why don't you go downstairs. The buyers would like a small demonstration of the merchandise."

Selena had become the timid little rabbit Michael met in the restaurant. She separated from Patrick and said, "I'll meet you outside." She was about to leave, but Patrick pulled her back to him and kissed her deeply. He sent one of his guards to follow her as she ran from the room, her head bowed in shame.

Patrick commented to her retreating form for Michael's benefit, "She is such a beautiful woman. She is so desirable yet kind and vulnerable."

Michael finished, "Perfect to manipulate, even if you have to beat her to keep her in line."

Patrick agreed, "Yes, My Friend." He looked spitefully into Michael's eyes and said, "It was even enjoyable punishing her. But what could I do. It has not been easy keeping her in the game. I must admit I thought I had driven away her fighting, independent spirit. She became the perfect toy for me to play with. But then you came along. My greatest mistake." 

Michael replied in disgust, "What?"

Patrick smiled, "Yes, you almost had her, Mr. Knight. You took my queen, you know, Mr. Knight. You almost had me in checkmate. But I was able to take back two pawns and then I used them to get my queen back. Oh, she had to suffer because of you! Now, Sir, I have all the pieces to this game. Know that I will be in control and I will win!"

Michael scowled, "Quit talking in riddles and games!"

Patrick continued sneering, "I don't need you, Knight. But because Selena seems to like you, she begged me to keep you alive. OH you should have seen her beg me for your life...I must say I enjoyed that immensely. Oh but she begged me not to tell you about that." He stepped closer to Michael and got in his face, "She also doesn't want me to tell you that I forced her to go along with the rest of my game. She is afraid you will try to play the hero for both of you. But that is exactly why I am telling you. Don't do anything to disrupt this game and be inconsiderate to me, your host. Remember I hold everything!"

Michael tried to surge forward, "I'll see you in hell before I stay here another moment!"

Patrick drew his gun on Michael and stepped out of reach of the chain holding him to the wall. He spoke in a deadly tone, "Not even you can stop a bullet, Knight! If you try anything else, you will watch me slowly torture, then kill Selena." He was about to leave, saying, "Now, why don't you just make yourself comfortable. Watch the show!" He pointed toward the window.

Alone again Michael thought about what had just transpired in front of him. He understood exactly what Patrick was doing. He looked out the window to see Selena getting into KITT. A head of her was an obstacle course to test KITT's abilities for some of Patrick's partners, who were standing around waiting to watch the demonstration.

Inside KITT, Selena was arguing with KITT to get him to cooperate. She spat, "KITT, don't get stubborn!"

"Where is Michael?" demanded KITT.

Frustrated she bit back, "KITT! You know where he is! Now, please, I have stuck my neck out to keep your partner alive. Patrick wants to kill him! If you don't give in...."

Patrick had come outside and entered the obstacle course area. He called, "Selena, My Toy. Would you come here please?"

Selena looked over at him, her eyes first searching the attic room's window where Michael was watching the activity below. Looking back at Patrick, she said, "I'll be right there." She whispered inside, "KITT, Think about what I said!" Getting out, she rushed over to Patrick.

Patrick took her into his arms and ordered, "Kiss me and smile!" He did not even give her a chance to cooperate, but took what he wanted, his mouth descending upon hers.

Selena tried to fight him at first, but gave in after realizing whom this demonstration was for. With KITT listening to her conversation with Patrick through Michael's watch on her wrist, she disengaged herself from Patrick's arms and said with revulsion, "That is all you will ever get from me! So when can we stop this stupid charade?"

Patrick laid his hands on her hips to keep her from standing too far away from him. He smiled at her, "When I prove to your friend up there that I am in total control here. Now as for your other demand...I've already proved I can and will have more than that whenever and wherever I want! Do you need another demonstration?"

Selena shrank back and said, "No, Sir."

Grabbing her ass he said, "Good. I have a surprise for you."

Selena asked hesitantly, "What now?"

Patrick turned her around (KITT following their every step) and walked with her over to the garage. Sitting in the driveway was a blue van. The side door opened and a man got out. Patrick said generously, "I've decided to reward you by letting you see your sisters."

Selena looked at him, hoping that he wasn't playing another game. She said, "Where?"

Patrick instructed, "Don't try anything and don't scare them! You can see them for just a few seconds."

Selena's eyes filled with tears as she said, "Why are you teasing me like this?"

Patrick explained, "I want to give you an incentive to do what you are told." He wiped away her tears as he said, "Straighten up, Selena, look happy. Tell them to do what their told by my men and behave.  Talk to Jasmine!  You can thank me later."

Up in the attic room, Michael watched Patrick maneuver around Selena. It made him angry that Patrick could manipulate her so easily. He viewed the pair standing in front of the van. Patrick motioned to the guard standing outside it. The guard helped two young girls step out. Michael watched Selena pull away from Patrick and embrace her sisters. Patrick looked up to make sure Michael saw everything. After a few seconds, he tapped Selena's shoulder, letting her know that her time was up. Patrick said, "We are running off schedule, Selena." The guard put the girls back into the van and it disappeared out of the gate. Michael watched Patrick escort Selena back to KITT. Patrick asked, "Are you satisfied that they are still in good health?"

Selena asked, "Where are you taking them?"

Patrick said, "When the job is completed, you'll see them again. Now, are you going to finish the game?"

Selena replied in resignation, "Let's just get this over with!"

Patrick ordered, "Give a good show for my clients. I want them to see first hand what this baby is capable of." He patted KITT's hood and walked away.

Selena leaned against KITT, watching Patrick conversing with his guests. She thought about how cruel he was to dangle her sisters in front of her. She was angry with him, with herself. Tears that she thought were all cried out, began to swell up in her eyes. Blinking them away, she took a deep breath and opened KITT's door. Sitting down comfortably, she challenged, "Well, are you ready to cooperate!" Without giving him a chance to answer, she programmed him and started the ignition. She demanded, "Don't prevent me from operating you, KITT! I'm gonna give him a show he'll never forget!"

KITT did not put up a fight, instead he promised, "Let's do this for Jasmine and Tina!" and helped her maneuver through some of his tougher, more complicated functions. Finally, they were about to demonstrate his laser, but Selena decided, "Let's not show them that, KITT. We may need it, if we can find a way out of this mess!" His comment about her sisters nudged the growth of the idea that KITT was more than "just a car". Pulling KITT up to the gentlemen watching at the end of the course, Selena got out and explained some of the added functions inside KITT.  She purposely left out that he was able to converse intelligently, his surveillance mechanism, being connected to him via Michael's wrist communicator, and the fact that he had been recording everything that had transpired since they had arrived there.

Patrick asked, "How would you keep in contact with it, if you are not inside it?"

Selena crossed her fingers and lied, "I don't know. I don't think you can."

Another man asked, "How does it relay information?"

Selena pointed to the screen, where KITT supplied information for her and she explained, "This prints out information like maps. It can link with other computers and print out that information...anything you need."

Patrick pointed to the little button marked "Laser" on the console and then the one marked "Turbo boost" and asked, "What are those?"

Selena shook her head in ignorance, "I don't know, it is malfunctioning."

Patrick replied in unbelief, "Selena? That many things cannot be malfunctioning on this beautiful machine. This is supposed to be the most sophisticated computerized automobile in the United States."

Selena remarked in ridicule, "Tell me about it! The prize of the Foundation for Law and Government is a piece of junk! But want can I do!"

Patrick thought, "Can it be fixed by that computer specialist, Bonnie...what's her name?"

Selena looked at him quickly and said, "I...don't think you want.... Why don't you ask its owner if he can fix it?"

Jerry Lennox added, "Besides, Patrick, we all ready have too many loose ends. We don't need anymore."

Patrick pulled out a large envelope, "Here. It is everything you'll need to complete the next level later this afternoon."

Selena took the envelope and placed it on KITT's dashboard. She said, "What am I suppose to do until then?"

Patrick walked her up the path to his home and suggested, his hand resting suggestively on her back, "You could go rest in my room, My Toy. We could play a special game of chess."  He knew where his hand rested caused her some pain, her blouse becoming moist from some of her wounds still open.  He felt her stiffen, watched her eyes glaze over, and smiled at his handy work.

Selena could not outright refuse him but she knew she could not go with him. She disengaged herself from his hand and said, "Maybe later, Patrick. I need to have some lunch and change my clothes." Without waiting for his approval, she took off for the house. She tried to shower, trying to clean her wounds without causing herself more pain.  She changed into a silk pink blouse and soft beige, brushed suede skirt before making lunch. She braced herself for another confrontation with Michael as she loaded his lunch tray. She steeled her face and entered the attic room, "I brought you lunch, Mr. Knight."

Michael replied softly, as if he were afraid of frightening off a deer, "Thank you."

She looked at him...desperation in her eyes, the rest of her face cold and distant, "Did you watch the demonstration?

"Yes, did KITT put up much of a fight?"

Selena smiled, "No, HE knows when to give in."

Michael replied, "Yes, I believe that. No matter what, KITT would never betray his friends."

Selena stated, "I see that Patrick allowed your chain to be removed. I hope you were not uncomfortable," ignoring his comment.

Michael wanted to hold her and love her into coming to her senses, but he knew that would only confuse her more and give Patrick more leverage over her. He knew that he had made a tiny hole in her wall from her refusal to comment to him. He chose his words carefully, "I guess after _Your Master_ gave me a demonstration of his 'so called' insurance, he figured I'd be safe. By the way, how are your sisters? Or were they a lie too?"

She looked back at him and calmly slapped his face. She returned to pouring a glass of soda and remarked bitterly, "You know I was not lieing about them! You saw them yourself!"

Michael stopped her from her task. His cheek still stung, but he gently made her face him. He apologized, "I know you were not lieing, I should not have said that. We have to get away from here."

Selena pulled away, "Don't do that! We have no choice but to do what he wants! Just accept things as they are and we will all come out of this with our lives.  Let Patrick have his way!"

Michael spat, "You mean take his orders...play his game! Let him get away with stealing dangerous weapons from the government...and let him have KITT! What does he plan to do with KITT? What was that demonstration for?"

Selena bit her lip and replied anxiously, "I have to go. Patrick will be looking for me."

Michael pleaded, "Selena, don't run from me. I am not going to hurt you! Devon and I have been trying to help you!"

From the look of rage that entered Selena's eyes, Michael knew he had just said something very wrong. With mockery in her voice, she laughed, "Help me! Devon? Oh, you mean when he was suppose to protect my sisters and keep them out of Patrick's hands! Did you see them, Michael! Did you see them in that van! Are they under Devon's protection now! NO! That van is their prison now and that is what Devon's protection got them!"

Michael argued quietly, trying to keep her from becoming hysterical, "You can't blame him for this."

She challenged, "Oh yes I can! He advised me to let them go to school instead of staying at the Foundation! He promised they would be guarded at all times! So they went to school!" She pushed him back a little to make a point, "That was when Patrick decided to make them the prize in this game of his! He showed up at MY home, made me watch his men grab them and then they disappeared! I tried…I tried to fight him, but Patrick (Her words were labored and helpless)…Patrick.  He did this..." She showed him the marks of the telephone cord still slightly visible around her wrists. "He pushed me against my own counter and..." She almost spilled everything that Patrick had done to her that afternoon...instead she looked at Michael with disgust and bitterly accused, "Where were you...Devon sent you on some errand! He did not even warn the cops that Patrick might try to trick the guard that was suppose to be outside my door! NO...Devon put us in harms way...I have to pay Patrick's price and so does he!"

Michael was speechless at all Selena had revealed in her angry hysteria. She was justifying everything she had done by blaming Devon and the Foundation...it consumed her. Finally digesting all that she had said, he asked, "What are you going to do now?" 

Selena's anger subsided a bit. She replied softly, "Just what I am told to do."

Michael asked, "And who is going to protect you and your sisters now? What if he decides to kill them anyway?" He held her arm to make her look at him, "What if he uses them to force you into something else?"

Selena laughed, "You mean like getting into his bed? We both know it is too late!  He didn't need to threaten me...didn't even care whether I cooperated or not...just took what he wanted from me like he has before! As a matter of fact, he dragged my away from you this morning to...to punish me for letting you...for us..." Now that her shame was so explicitly spelled out, she looked at him in deep pain and sobbed from the pit of her misery, "Does that satisfy you! Does knowing I prostitute myself to him to protect my family…to protect you make you see how much power he has! Will that make you cooperate?"

Michael was not prepared for that bit of knowledge. His heart hurt for her, wanted to cry for her...wanted to kill Patrick. That was not what he was going to suggest that Patrick might force her into doing. He did already suspect that, but not to the extent and viciousness she had just confessed to.  He gently wiped the tear that slowly sank down her cheek, her eyes now averting his completely. He pushed softly, "I didn't mean that, Selena. I am sorry, I didn't know."

Selena spoke harshly, "How could you."

Michael took a breath and then continued trying to get her to give in to him. He suggested, "OK, Selena. Now that Patrick has forced you to play his game...what if the next move is for you to kill someone?"

Selena knew exactly who Patrick would try to force her to kill to prove her loyalty to him. She looked at Michael and said, "I will protect you as much as I can, Michael. I'm doing the best that I can."

Michael hugged her and said, "I know you are. But you must think about the possibility of what would happen if you can't! Who will play Judson's game then? How will you satisfy his passion for games...hunting...killing for sport? Remember what he did to Caiti?"

Selena's anger was rekindled. She thought, "How dare he use my friend against me!" Yet deep down she knew Michael was right. She cast that thought into the trash reminding herself that all he cared about was convincing her to help him escape, not caring about her sisters or her. She was becoming more confused and very frustrated. She went back to the tray of food and began rearranging it again, slamming things down as she attempted to pull her rage into submission.

Michael repeated, "What are you going to do?"

Her eyes were now blurry with tears and she wept, "I don't know! Stop it!"

Michael said, "Come on, Selena. Let me get us out of this mess! Give me KITT back!"

He was about to walk over to her to try to calm her down. But she picked up a glass and said, "That's what you've been after all along!"

Michael replied, "No, Selena. I want to help us get out of this mess you got us into!"

"Me!" She cried, "No! Stop It! You are just trying to confuse me...manipulate me! You are no better than Patrick! And I am tired of being used! I'm tired of both of you!" She was shouting at him and squeezing the glass in her hands tightly. She banged it against the tray several times, Michael afraid it was going to break in her hands and cut her. He reached out for her only to find that glass being hurled at his head. She picked up another glass and threatened, "Don't you come near me!" Michael ducked, the glass crashing into the wall behind him, after it missed his head by a few inches. Realizing what she did, Selena dumped the tray on the ground and ran out of the room, shouting something back at Michael. Everything she had bottled up inside was ready and waiting to explode. Pounding on Patrick's private study's door, she demanded permission to get moving. After getting the rest of her instructions, she was told that she had an hour and a half to complete the job. Then she took off in KITT, while Michael watched from above.

In a fury Selena drove out of the mountains, taking out her frustrations on the road and KITT. Her tears began flowing silently, almost blurring her vision to the point of interrupting her driving as she thought about what had happened just minutes before. Her thoughts went over their conversation and all that she had revealed to Michael. She was very agitated and becoming reckless on the road. Without her noticing, KITT had taken over to prevent her from getting into an accident. She felt herself calming down and then begin to float until her eyes became heavy. She drifted to sleep. KITT had taken over driving while using a new defense mechanism that was installed to prevent thieves from stealing him. The device released a sedative-type gas into the ventilation system of the car. While she slept, KITT decided it would be a good idea to find her a place where she could think and calm down. His artificially induced sleep helped her relax as he drove them down into a deep ravine into a semi-private beach half-surrounded by rocks and high cliffs. It was here that Selena realized just how special KITT was to Michael and now her. He had saved her life more than once. This, plus all that Michael had said to her, swirled through her thoughts; making things become a little clearer. She snapped awake; began looking around at the quiet, restful setting before her; and wondered how she had gotten there. KITT asked, concerned, "Feeling better?"

She responded, "What?" Still a little confused as to what had happened to her.

KITT repeated, "Are you feeling better?"

Selena took a long deep breath, "Yeah, I guess, I'm feeling a little better. What happened?"

KITT explained, "You had become quite hysterical, Selena. I brought you here so you could calm down. Michael always likes to take a walk when he needs some time to think."

Selena was confused, "But..." She was going to ask how could a computer care for someone; but Michael's words came floating back to her thoughts. She finally said, "I'm very sorry, KITT, for all of this. Please understand I did it for Michael as well as my sisters."

KITT didn't want to get "mushy" so he remarked, "Never mind. Let's just do what we're suppose to do and get out of here."

She hesitated, "KITT, Can you find my sisters?"

KITT affirmed, "I'll work on it."

She admitted, "You know that Patrick plans to auction you off with the other weapons?"

KITT replied, "That's why you had to give that demonstration this morning?"

Selena resolved, "If I knew where he was keeping my sisters, I could let Michael go through with that plan of his!" Looking over the instructions, she told KITT it was time to go and they drove out of her peaceful sanctuary. As she drove to the address listed, she got an idea. She requested, "KITT, contact Devon for me." When she was safely parked off to the shoulder of the road across from Edward's Air Force Base, she withdrew a small 38-caliber gun from her purse. Earlier that morning, she had stolen it from Patrick's gun cabinet in his game room. She asked, "KITT, is this the place?"

KITT confirmed, "Yes, Selena."

Selena agreed, "Good." Looking through the manila envelope, she pulled out the rest of her instructions, a list of what she was suppose to steal, and a specially made driver's license. Putting it through KITT's computer, she said, "Make sure everything is in order." While rereading the instructions, she heard Devon trying to call Michael. As soon as he was visible on the video screen, she told KITT to let him hear her. She demanded, "Keep quiet, Mr. Miles. Listen very closely. Meet me outside Edwards Air Force Base in five minutes. Come alone or you will never see Michael or KITT again." Then she told KITT to jam the rest of the signal.

A few minutes later, Devon and Bonnie parked alongside the road where Selena impatiently waited. As soon as they were completely stopped, she put her sunglasses on to prevent anyone seeing the bruise Patrick had given her earlier. She walked around to the car to meet Devon halfway. She inquired, "Anyone follow you?"

Devon's eyes immediately noticed Michael's watch on Selena's wrist. He replied, "No, where is Michael?"

"Out of my way." She pulled out the gun and said, "Get in, Mr. Miles." She opened KITT's passenger-side door and made Devon get inside. Seeing this, Bonnie jumped out of their car and demanded to know where Selena was taking Devon. Selena closed the door behind Devon. While She threatened Bonnie from following her, KITT quickly replayed some of the video he'd recorded that afternoon...including Selena hugging her sisters before they were taken away in the van. Selena opened the car door after she ordered, "Don't follow me. If you want to see Devon alive, you will remain right here until I come back. If he behaves that is."

She programmed KITT to go to their next destination. She stored her gun inside her purse. Then handed Devon her instructions and demanded, "This is my price! You have to help me get it."

Devon tried to stall, "What's happened, Selena. Where is Michael? Please don't let Judson make you help him anymore. I can protect you."

Selena ignored him, not wanting her anger to flare up at him. She still blamed him for endangering her sisters and it angered her that he was now trying to prevent her from saving Michael's life as well. Devon didn't like the cold silence that kept slapping his face every time he tried to approach her in kindness. He persisted, "Are you going to tell me where Michael is?"

Selena shot back, "I know...you can help me. Well, Mr. Miles, prove it." She turned into the driveway leading into the airbase and stopped by the guard's station. While they waited for the guard, Selena replied, "Now is your first chance to prove yourself, Mr. Miles. Do you value the lives of Michael and My sisters as well I do! I know KITT showed you that Patrick has them all!"

Before Devon could respond, a young officer in his early twenties wearing a uniform and a pistol to his side strode to the side of the car. He requested, "Afternoon, Ma'am, who are you here to see?"

Devon leaned over with his clearance ID in hand, "Afternoon, Sergeant Weaver, I'm here to see Major Thomas."

The Sergeant affirmed, looking over Devon's ID. He greeted, "Hello Mr. Miles, as soon as I see the ID of your lovely friend, I can let you through."

Selena smiled in a flirtaeous manner, "Here you go, Sergeant." She handed him the ID that Patrick had given her. When confusion appeared on the young man's face, Selena innocently inquired, "Is there anything wrong?"

"No, Miss Knight," he answered, "It is just that I've never heard of a girl named Michael before." Devon raised his eyebrow at the officer's obvious attempt to flirt with Selena and curiosity over him referring to her as Michael Knight.

Selena blushed prettily and laughed, "You are a bright young man. That was my mother's cleaver way to spell 'Michelle'."

Sergeant Weaver smiled, "Cute. Here." He handed her back their ID's and said, "I'll let you through. Nice seeing you again, Mr. Miles." He directed, "The visitors office is straight back, past those offices and to the right. They will direct you from there."

Selena waved at him, "Thanks, Sergeant," as she drove through the gates. Breathing easier she followed Devon's directions to the administrative buildings on the base. Sitting in the parking lot, she was very grateful for Devon's help at the gate. She decided to give him another chance, "Devon, you have to come up with a way to end this."

Devon tested her, "Selena, is Patrick holding Michael and your sisters together?"

Selena shook her head, "NO" She had been toying with her sunglasses, before putting them back on her face. The word "no" was barely audible.

"What?" asked Devon.

Selena repeated, "No. Patrick...he...took them away from me. I don't know where they are."

Devon replied in sympathy, "I am truly sorry, Selena."

She faced him, her temper rising a bit, "You are sorry! You should be! It was your fault they were taken! You promised me that you would protect them and you fai...oh just never mind." Selena knocked her glasses askew in her outburst giving Devon a good glimpse of her black eye. Selena opened her door, preventing him from confronting her about it or anything else. She scowled, "Let's just get this over with! I'm running out of time as it is!"

Devon joined her as they walked into the Administration Building together. They were lead through the lobby up to Major Thomas' office by a young female officer. In Major Thomas' office, Selena impatiently inquired, "How are you going to get me out of trouble?"

Devon replied, "I'm not. I'm going to give you exactly what you wanted."

Selena was astonished and she protested, "What? But you can't..."

Devon smiled at her outburst and explained, "Just listen. I'm going to get the things that Judson wants; but there is a catch."

Selena asked, "What is it?"

"We've got to tell Major Thomas what is going on so he can take the necessary precautions."

Selena questioned, "Devon! Michael and my sisters will be killed if we do that!"

Knowing that he didn't have time to explain further, he reassured, "Selena, we just have to trust each other. I want to trust you...can you trust me?" Before they could talk about it anymore, Major Thomas walked in and greeted them. Selena noticed that his dark-blue uniform, which was still neatly pressed in the middle of the afternoon, added a distinguished flare to the slightly gray-haired, but good-looking gentleman. It appeared that Devon and the Major were old friends. 

After the gentlemen greeted each other, Major Thomas smiled warmly toward the young lady uncomfortably standing next to his friend. He inquired, "Devon, aren't you going to introduce me to this lovely young lady?"

Devon smiled appropriately, "Ben, this is Selena Kirk, one of the Foundation's newest employees."

Major Thomas grasped Selena's outreached hand in friendship and greeted, "Nice to meet you, Miss Kirk. Well, Devon, What is the purpose for this visit."

After he invited them to take a seat, Devon proceeded to tell the Major what was going on. Selena listened distantly, her mind wandering, worrying about her sisters and what they must be going through. Withdrawing further, she thought about Michael being cooped up in that little attic room, and their argument that seemed to constantly stay in her thoughts. Suddenly, she realized that she hadn't been paying attention. So, she turned her thoughts back to the conversation at hand. Devon and the Major were trying to figure a way to get the hostages out safely without giving out dangerous classified information and materials. Devon suggested that they get the things that Judson wanted, look them over, and then figure out what to do with them later. He noticed Selena's lack of attention and anxiety tightening up in her neck. He was afraid that she would turn on him again and then he would lose what little trust he had gained from her. He decided not to blow his plan by telling her about it. As the gentlemen stood up to leave, Selena apprehensively said, "What's wrong?"

As Devon walked into another room, Major Thomas lagged behind and answered, "We'll be back. We're going to take a look at the weapons on that list of yours."

Selena asked, "Shouldn't I be with you?"

Major Thomas replied, "You don't have the proper security clearance. Now, Miss Kirk, I suggest you sit here quietly and relax a bit. You have a lot to prepare for, My dear. But take heart, your courage will get you through this." His stern stare withered away when he smiled with concern for her situation; then, he left her alone.

Alone in his office, Selena felt very unprotected. She could feel an icy finger caress her back when the door opened behind her. Cautiously turning around, she found herself caught by Patrick's right hand, his partner.  This man joined Patrick in her nightmares and she feared him as much as Patrick.  He was the same man who had met her at the restaurant when she kidnapped Michael. Acting quickly, she eased out of the chair and tried to escape out the backdoor, where Devon and the Major had just gone through. The intruder, also wearing the insignia of the rank of Major on his uniform, blocked her path. He backed her into the desk. Thinking quickly, she masqueraded her fear as irritation. As she checked out his identification card, She sassed, "What are you doing here? Are you trying to mess up this operation?" She pushed past him and said, "Did Patrick send you to check up on me, 'Major Lenox'?" She plopped down in the chair in front of the desk.

Lenox said, "Why aren't you following Patrick's orders? He'll be very disappointed when he finds out who you're with."

Selena evaded his antagonistic remark, repeating, "You didn't answer my question. What are you doing here?"

In return, Lenox ignored her demand, "Just forget about me. I suggest you finish this job right..."

She bit back before he could finish Patrick's already overused threat, "I'm getting exactly what he wants! Just differently! I'm trying not to attract attention to myself and blow the whole thing up!"

A low hum of voices sifted through the back corridor into the office. Lenox watched Selena's hand go protectively to her purse and he used the distraction to grab the bag from her. He opened her bag and smiled, "Well, Well...What do we have here. Patrick said it was missing." 

Selena tried to fight him, rising out of her chair saying, "I took that to protect myself, to get Mr. Miles to cooperate."

Lennox nearly hit her. Instead he just forced her to sit back into the chair and spoke to her as if speaking to a child, "Now you will be using this to clean up the mess you made here."

She asked, "What do you want me to do?"

Lenox ordered, "Get rid of Miles and Thomas! Patrick will be waiting for you to return."

Selena asked, "Wait, you are not going to tell him about this will you?"

Lenox got in her face and said, "He guessed you would do this, Toy, I promised to check on you for him." Selena's eyes flew at him, his use of Patrick's hated nickname for her coming from his lips. He said, "Do you know he's promised to reward me for telling him. You'll never guess what I've asked for."  He caressed the spot where her tattoo formed on her back, "Remember My Needles, P's Toy!"  He laughed cruelly at the look in her eyes.  The hum of voices was heard just beyond the door. Lenox threatened, "If you want Patrick to forgive you, Toy, use that to get rid of them. Your sisters are counting on you!" He caressed her hair as he stood, "Please, Lovely Selena, don't let them down!" He vanished outside the door just as Devon and Major Thomas came back.

Selena rose from her chair and went to stand by the window, the gun hidden in her hand. She turned her back toward them and faced the window, only half-listening to their conversation. Her mind was preoccupied with Michael, and Devon's advice and Lenox's threats. Visions of her sisters being dragged away by Patrick's men, unsure of what she was going to do next. She toyed with the pistol in her hand, making sure the safety was off, thinking how nice it would be if she could use it on Patrick instead. She whispered into the wrist communicator and ordered, "KITT, come over here under Major Thomas' window and wait for me."

Devon asked, "Selena, what did you say? Haven't you been listening to me?"

Selena turned around slowly, aiming the gun at the two gentlemen. Her eyes iced over, her demeanor rock solid. She ordered, "Sit down, Dev...Mr. Miles, don't speak! Major, do you have what I want?"

Major Thomas questioned, "What is the meaning of this? I thought..."

Anticipating his remarks, she answered, "You thought wrong, Major! Now, answer my question."

Major Thomas looked at Devon then returned his eyes to Selena. He wasn't sure what to do, since everything they put together was either falsified or malfunctioning. He said, "Here! This folder contains all the information you need."

Selena scanned the contents. She recalled exactly what should be on it from the lists she had put together with Patrick for the illegal auction weeks earlier. Paging back through, she noticed something missing. Her expression reflected her frustration, "What are you trying to pull, Major! Devon, what were you trying to accomplish by not including the files on WSW or the EIFS. Where is the report on those surface to air missiles?"

Major Thomas answered defensively, "I can't just hand out information on chemicals or weapons that would jeopardize millions of lives in the wrong hands!"

Selena retaliated, "Then you didn't have the weapon made ready to ship out, did you?"

Major Thomas countered, "I can't just hand over missiles to murders!"

She reminded him fiercely, "Major! Don't you realize that there are already three lives in the hands of those murderers? They are depending on you to save them! Devon, Michael's life is one of them! Make him get what I need to save him or I will!"

Devon tried to calm her down. He didn't understand what caused her to become unglued again, but whatever it was had frightened her to near hysterics. He stood up from the chair he had taken when he first entered the room and said softly, "All right, Selena. But you are not making this very easy! Put down the gun!"

"I wanted your assistance, not patronization!" Selena ordered him to sit down. "Don't mess this up! You're lucky, Devon, I'm suppose to kill you both!" Moving slowly, she edged up behind Major Thomas, her gun in his ear. She proceeded to dictate her instructions, ordering him to pick up the phone and give the order to have all of the weapons delivered to an address that she had written on a piece of paper, which she handed him. She added that the orders be sent through Major Lennox's office and that he wasn't to give her away or Devon would be shot. Reluctantly Major Thomas followed her instructions, while she looked back through the manila folder. She quickly wrote a note explaining what had happened and to let everything go through as Patrick planned until Michael, Jasmine, and Tina were safe. She folded the note just as Major Thomas hung up the phone. Then she ordered, "Devon, tie up your friend." She went over to the window, pulled enough of the blind's cord down and then cut some off with scissors she took from Major Thomas' desk. She threw the rope to Devon.

When both men were bound to their chairs, Selena quickly wrote down the address to Patrick's Cliffside mansion and the names of some of his accomplices, including Major Lennox. She stuffed it into Devon's jacket pocket saying, "Don't use this until everyone is safe! Whether or not you can pull this off is your problem. I'm going to get back my sisters even if it means killing Patrick myself!" She looked at her watch and fretted, "Stay here for 10 minutes. I am so late, Patrick is going to punish me for sure." It was very evident that she was bordering on a nervous breakdown and becoming dangerous to herself. She made sure KITT was perfectly underneath the window. She stowed the gun back in her purse after making sure the safety was on; took a deep breath, held the files she was suppose to steal, and jumped. She landed softly in KITT's drivers seat.

As she drove back to the mansion, she tried to think where Patrick could have taken her sisters. Her thoughts were interrupted by Devon trying to call her. She ignored him and begged KITT to block his calls. KITT suggested, "Maybe you should let him talk to you."

Selena stubbornly replied, "No, he couldn't protect me and Patrick knows I talked to him." She drove through the gates of Patrick's mansion. She noticed how quiet the place had become since she left. Everything seemed to be motionless, almost deserted or...dead. She sat still for a moment after parking. She laid her head back, thinking about what was going to happen to her, Michael, and her sisters. Only the silent hum of KITT's surveillance mode played in her ears, relaxing her mind before she had to jump back into her problems. KITT warned of the guard coming towards her. She replied, "Thanks, KITT. Oh, and when Michael gets in here, no matter what, take off!" Before KITT could find out what she meant or do anything about it, she got out and greeted the man that was waiting for her. Upon reaching him, she demanded, "Where is Patrick?"

"He'll be with you soon. He's instructed me to escort you back to your room," responded the guard.

"But I'm allowed to go where I want?" she protested.

"Just come with me, Selena," requested the man. "Oh," he took her purse, "You won't need this." He pulled the revolver out of it.

Selena grabbed her purse back and walked quietly along side the guard to the attic room. There she was left alone, not even Michael was there. "That's funny," She thought. Then she banged on the locked door until the guard came back. He opened the door and asked, "What's the matter?"

"Where is Mr. Knight?" she demanded.

"He'll be back. You just keep yourself quiet. Mr. Judson is angry enough without you making it worse." He pushed her back inside the room and closed the door.

Walking over to the bureau, she automatically removed Michael's watch, placing it where he could see it. She removed the hated bracelets and necklace from her neck and threw them across the room. She went into the bathroom and gently washed the wounds around her wrists and then her face. She looked with deep sorrow at her blood sliding down the drain. She closed her eyes trying to become numb, trying to forget everything. She pushed herself away from the mirror and went back into the little attic room. She looked around and saw that her mess had been cleaned up. That little scene filled her memory again. Feeling cooped up, she went over to her bay-window hideaway.

Curling up was easy, but she found relaxing difficult. She opened the window again. Down below, she caught a glimpse of Patrick and two of his buddies looking over KITT, trying to get inside. Patrick said something to someone she couldn't see. The guard trying to open the car door, gave up and punched the window in frustration. A small giggle escaped when KITT rolled over his foot and mumbled, "Keep your hands to yourself!" She turned her attention away from what was happening on the ground. She stared out at the ocean, breathing in its wonderful cleansing winds. Her peace was disturbed by voices below as one of Patrick's men advised, "Patrick, Joe called. He wants out. He doesn't like babysitting."

Patrick replied, "Tell him to take it easy. I only need a few more hours and then we can dump them."

The hope for her sisters' return turned to fear. She stared out at the ocean, trying to pretend that she had not heard Patrick's callous orders. Scanning the water, her eyes rested on a small cabin cruiser about a mile from shore. Jumping out of the seat, she grabbed for Michael's watch, "KITT! There is a boat just beyond that cliff in the water! Can you check it out?"

KITT asked, "Are you talking about that small craft about a mile from shore?"

Selena was now standing on her knees atop the seat of the bay window, shading her eyes for better vision. "That's it!" KITT listened to her rambling, "It belongs to Patrick doesn't it?"

She was so caught up in her thoughts; she had not noticed Michael being escorted back into the room. Michael was not expecting to find her inside the attic prison. He remembered how fragile she was when she left him last time and knew he could not make the mistake of pushing her. He carefully approached the bay window trying to find out what she had found so interesting. He said, "Selena?" She ignored him. He stood behind her to see what she was looking at. He heard her whispering worriedly to herself, slowly becoming confused and upset again.

Selena felt the world closing in on her. She had tried so hard to keep everyone she loved alive but everything she did failed. Michael's words to her came crashing into her mind and she whispered, "He's gonna kill us all!"

Michael physically turned her to face him and lifted her chin to his. He asked, "What did you say, Selena?"

Her look of resignation and defeat killed him. She was looking to him for help, as she repeated, "He's going to kill all of us? Isn't he, Michael?" When Michael hesitated, she hit him, "Isn't he!"

Michael kissed the hand that had smacked him, "You don't know that," He soothed trying to keep her calm.

"I'm so sorry, Michael. You were right and I did not listen!" she blurted.

Michael pressed her into his arms. He offered, "What makes you think so? Tell me, what's happened to make you feel unsure?"

Selena dropped her arms and turned back toward the window. Her emotions were crumbling to pieces one by one and the one that was building in force was her anger; born out of panic. She said, "You'll never believe how cruel he is. He doesn't even care about two helpless young girls." She calmly pointed out, "Do you see that boat out there? My sisters are on that boat!"

He tried to make it seem as if she was over-reacting. He said, "Do you know that for sure. That might not even belong to Judson." Michael suggested, "Why don't you ask KITT to give you some information on it."

Selena gave him his watch and said, "I did ask him! Here...you find out what he told me!"

Michael took it from her and said, "Hey, Buddy! She treatin' ya OK?"

KITT replied, "I've just had to do all the work!"

Michael asked, "OK, give me the information on that boat."

KITT supplied, "Like I said, Michael, it does belong to Patrick." Michael held on to Selena's hand as KITT revealed the rest of the information, "It's been in contact with a phone in this house since we've been back." He interjected, "As a matter of fact, Michael, there's a call being transmitted right now."

Selena took the watch back and ordered, "Tap into it, KITT."

KITT didn't wait for Michael to confirm, but allowed them access to the conversation between Patrick's guard and the boat. They heard the guard tell the guy, Joe, to bring the boat back to the docks. Joe asked about Patrick's answer to his question. The guard repeated Patrick's message. Joe laughed that it would be interesting to watch the little one fight the sharks. The guard's enthusiastic reply was enough to put Selena over the edge. Then another voice got on the phone and ordered Joe to dump his cargo overboard. The message was blocked by interference leaving the rest to Selena's imagination. When the interference cleared, they heard Joe asking, "What's happened?"

Before Michael could hear the rest, Selena cut KITT off and said, "I've heard enough! He's gonna pay!" She pulled away hysterically threatening, "I'll kill him!"

She started for the door, but Michael restrained her practically lifting her off the ground to keep her from moving. "Where do you think you are going?"

She fumed, struggling to make him let her go, "I am going to kill him!" Unnoticed due to her struggling, Michael's watch sank to the rug, resting comfortably next to the seat by the window. In the meantime, Selena was now yelling loud enough for everyone to hear.

Michael clasped his hand over her mouth, smothering her screams, "Would you shut up! Selena, are trying to get us killed!" He got her to pay attention to him. He tried to make her listen to him, "We know where your sisters are? Right!" She nodded, his hand still covering his mouth. He continued, "I'll get your sisters out of there safe and sound. But don't blow it for us!"

He almost had her ready to listen but one of the guards banged on the locked door and ordered, "Stop yelling! Mr. Judson doesn't want anymore of your uncontrolled tantrums, Selena!"

Selena bit Michael's hand and shouted at the door, "Tell, MR Judson...." Michael used his other hand to smother the rest of what she wanted to say. He held her down while she savagely and frustratedly kicked him. When he refused to retaliate and just held her until her rage was released and she could no longer fight him, she finally relaxed in his arms and cried, "I have to do something. I know why he gave that order. Why that boat is even here! He will never let them go and we're dead too. I have really messed this up! I should have followed his instructions to the letter. I should not have tried to play the hero." Michael waited patiently, sitting down with her on the cushion, his arms still locked around her. He listened as she explained what happened with Devon and the Air force base, about being caught. She concluded, "Michael, I'm sure that Patrick has been warned by now. Even if Devon had Lenox arrested, I know he has..."

Michael looked at her and pleaded, "Then we have got to get out of here. Help me escape!"

Selena nodded, "What do you want me to do?"

Michael looked around, "Where's my communicator?"

Selena replied, following his eyes around the little room, "I don't know. It was here a minute ago. Remember I gave it back to you."

She was about to look for it, but Michael stopped her, saying, "We don't have time." He instructed, "Go to the door and call the guard. Make him come in here." He grabbed an empty glass bottle, "When he comes in, I'm gonna grab him from behind and knock his gun out of his hand. When I've got a hold of him, you hit him on the head. Ready?"

The guard came to the door and replied, "What do you want?"

Selena replied frantically, "Get in here! Knight's trying to bust the window! I can't stop him, he's cuffed me to the chair."

The guard opened the door and didn't see Michael anywhere. He did see Selena standing in front of him pretending to be linked to the chair. The guy entered the room and demanded, "What's going on in here? What kind of games are you trying to pull!" As he got closer, Michael jumped him and knocked the gun across the room. Michael couldn't hold him long enough for Selena to hit him. Selena did try to swing at him and missed. The guard sent a punch at Michael face and Michael shouted at Selena, "Would you hit him already?"

Greg the guard said, "What?"

Selena lifted the bottle over her head and said, "Like this?" as she brought it crashing down on the guard's head, the glass shattering into a hundred pieces. The guard turned to face her. He staggered towards her but Michael grabbed him and sent a punch into his mouth then tossed him to the bed unconscious. Michael grabbed the handcuffs and leashed the guy to the bed. 

The couple briefly congratulated each other and ran out of the room and out to KITT. But their victory turned to failure when they were stopped two feet from the safety of KITT. Several guns surrounded them and Patrick smiled, "Going so soon? How rude. Haven't you forgotten something, My Toy?"

Michael put himself between Selena and Patrick's men. He said, "End this, Judson. You got what you wanted!"

Patrick replied greedily, "Not quite, Knight. You took something that belongs to me and I want it back."

Selena demanded, "What do you want now?"

Patrick replied as if the answer was obvious, "You, My Toy!" He motioned for one of his guards and said, "Escort Selena to my study."

The guard took her by her arm as Michael held her from moving, asking, "What are you planning to do?"

Patrick replied sarcastically, "Make my next move, what else?"

Selena spat, "This isn't a stupid game, Patrick!"

Patrick calmly walked between Michael and Selena, separating them. He held her in his arms, overpowering her. He got in her face and said, "I realize that, My Toy. Too bad you and your Knight didn't or you wouldn't have gambled to lose something you love so much!" He pushed her into the arms of the guard and motioned for him to get her out of there. 

Michael saw KITT's doors open as Selena was about to be dragged away from him. He knew he could not go without her. Michael called out, "What about the deal you made with Selena! She played by your rules! Are you going to cheat and go back on your word?"

Selena spat disgustedly at Patrick, "Your father must be very ashamed of you right now."

Patrick sneered, "My father is dead, Selena! He had an accident last night and..." He snapped his fingers.

Michael pushed, "So what are you going to do?"

Patrick replied, "I don't believe it is any of your business and I need to keep on schedule." With that, the guard escorted Selena past Patrick and they disappeared into the house. Patrick walked with Michael back to his attic prison. He observed Michael's expression as he said to the new guard, "Terry, lock this door and don't open it for any reason. Keep him here until we're gone; then get rid of this place. A tow truck will be here soon to pick up his car. We'll meet you at the docks. Mr. Knight, If you don't try anything else, I give you my word that the ladies will not be harmed. Once I'm safely past the Mexican border I'll let them go. Otherwise Selena and her sisters will become shark-bait. Oh and since I have the queen and her pawns, Knight, I believe this is...check-mate." He excused himself leaving Michael alone.

In the study, Selena paced the room waiting for Patrick to come to her. She knew he would force her into another private game created just to torture her. There would be no rules except those made up by Patrick. She made another attempt to shake the double doors hoping she could open them be accident. She knew she should be sitting in the chair the guard had set her in, but she was too restless. Voices from the hall outside ceased her rambling. She settled down in the straight-back, armchair in front of Patrick's desk. She stood up again as soon as the voices died away.

Outside the door, some guy banged on it and ordered her to stop. Frustrated, she went back to the chair and sat down. She had a feeling Patrick was procrastinating on purpose, to make her more anxious. He must have figured that she would be easier to control. She kept wondering where he was at and what he was doing. To put herself back together, she concentrated on the desk in front of her. Then she remembered that Patrick had a telephone inside his desk. Quickly she hurried over, slowly, ever so quietly opened the cabinet, grabbed the receiver and dialed the Foundation's number. Bonnie answered when the call was patched through. Selena rushed, "If you want to know where Patrick is planning to getaway, contact KITT for the Pier where his yacht is waiting for him," and hung up. While trying to put the phone back exactly the way it was before, she spied a small handgun in the back of the telephone case. Lifting it up cautiously, her thoughts became vengeful. But Michael's words echoed in her ears and she decided to keep the weapon to defend herself if needed.

Patrick opened the main door without warning, just as Selena placed the loaded gun in her handbag. Looking his way, she left the purse behind and met him halfway between the desk and the door. Patrick waltzed past her, ignoring her demanding question, "What is going on, Patrick? Where is Michael?"

Plopping a briefcase on top of the desk, Patrick began systematically throwing things inside. "Sit down, Selena. I don't have time for you! You and your friend made it necessary for me to leave the country," stated Patrick.

"Are you going to let us go?" She demanded.

Slamming the top of his briefcase, Patrick ordered, "Selena, you've caused enough trouble for one day. Now sit down in that chair and keep quiet! All of your questions will be answered soon!" With that Selena sank back somberly into the chair. When she collapsed in resignation, Patrick began grilling her with questions about the conversation she had with Lenox at the air force base. "You seem to have hung yourself, My toy. Did you think I wouldn't find out?"

Selena defended, "I did everything you told me to do. I got what you wanted me to get!"

Patrick trapped her in her chair, getting in her face he said, "I've already spoken to Lenox...so save your lies!" He spat, "You didn't even obey me after Lenox caught you!" He stared deeply into her eyes gagging her reactions, stripping her of her defenses and soon her sanity. He accused, "You must not really care for Jasmine and Tina."

Selena tried to stand and scowled, "What are you getting at!"

Patrick pushed her back into the chair. He set back away from her, sitting on his desk in front of her. He was silent for a very long time. Then he sighed, "Selena, how will I explain to them that their sister chose a car over them? How will they feel when they find out you betrayed them."

Selena refused to give into his emotional blackmail. She shot back, "You won't get away with this! Michael will stop you!"

Patrick clapped his hands together and laughed. He taunted, "I doubt if he will be able to do anything anymore, Selena. No one can when they've been buried six feet under."

Selena gasped, "What are you concocting now, Patrick!"

Patrick returned to packing his files. He responded mysteriously, "Don't worry, My Toy, you'll see. Be patient! I was when you kept betraying me. Your Knight should have thought twice before trying to steal my queen. You keep still until its time."

After a few very long agonizing minutes, Patrick closed his briefcase, checked his watch and then suggested, "My Toy, Go watch out the window. Keep yourself occupied! I can't stand you watching me anymore."

The look he gave her told her she needed to obey him. She rose out of her chair and crossed past Patrick's desk to the window behind him. She focused her mind on the trees. Looking past the cliff, she assumed that there was probably a beach below them. The memory of two people having fun in the sand flashed quickly past her and then the faces of Jasmine and Tina smiled to her reminding her of happier times. The glass on the window cast a slight reflection of Selena. The glass sadly mourned the person she once was while reflecting what she had become in Patrick's hands. She still had a little hope, "Michael won't just sit still, he'll be here soon. I just need to hold on."

Patrick crept up behind Selena. He encircled her in his arms and prevented her from moving away from him. He kissed her neck and purred, "For being in so much trouble, you have become very quiet. Have you decided to follow the rules right for a change?"

Selena wiggled out of his embrace and let him know she was annoyed, "I'm trying to figure out what you're planning."

Patrick responded by pulling her back against him. He said, "I'm planning to leave the country without any loose ends." He directed her eyes; "My men are preparing to get rid of my first problem now. I want you to watch, My Toy. Watch them very closely." She followed where he was looking to, watching the climax of the scene he was creating unfolding for her.

Patrick opened the window and called, "Is everything ready?" One of the men nodded and Patrick gave them a "go ahead" signal. At first Selena folded her arms demonstrating that she was bored. Her demonstration ended as she fought for her own breath at the sight of a man resembling Michael. He was blindfolded, his hands bound behind him and being taken into the yard, followed by two guys bearing automatic rifles. Trying to stifle a scream, she took an "about face" refusing to watch. Patrick blocked her escape. He lifted her eyes to his and said, "My toy, I have tried everything to force you to submit to me.  You deserve a repeat of this morning's punishment.  You should not have tried to escape from me! He should not have tried to take you away from me! I've decided to punish you both!" He pulled her against him and said, "You will watch this! I want you to watch your knight die...the penalty for taking my queen! You will witness the death of the only person who could have saved you!"

Selena begged, "Patrick, Please, No, don't do this!" Her courage, her hope for rescue, and her hold on reality washed away with each tear that flowed down her cheeks. Patrick mercilessly faced her toward the window. The sound of gunfire invaded the quiet of the study and through Selena's head as if the bullets were aimed for her. 

Selena staggered against Patrick, paralyzed by what he had forced her to witness. She sighed somberly, "Why...Patrick...you didn't have to...to kill him!" Her face still bore the tears that continued to fall from her eyes.

Patrick suggested forcefully, "I tried to warn you what would happen when I took your sisters from you, My toy. You forced me to eliminate the only thing that could possible prevent me from having the car, escaping, and keeping you with me." He escorted her over to the chair by his desk. Helping her to sit down, he brushed her hair from her face. He kissed away her tears enjoying the taste of her salty skin. He said softly, "That's My good Toy." He again made her look into his eyes and said, "Selena, please hear me. This will be the last time I warn you." He held her chin up and when her eyes looked into his, he said, "Your friend is dead, My Toy, because you did not obey me! So, if you don't sit here quietly, I will make sure that your sisters never see the dock when my men pick us up."

Selena did not respond. Her eyes died as she retreated inside herself. She was in shock and numbness took over to keep her from fighting Patrick. Patrick was gratified to watch her spirit crumble before him. He hoped to keep her that way until he got her onto his yacht and out into international waters. He wanted her to become his puppet. It would be a shame if he had to kill her before he had a chance to play with his toy again. 

Still locked away in his attic prison, Michael sat quietly waiting for another chance to escape. He pounded his fist into the cushioned seat beneath him. He worried about Selena being in the hands of a monster. An unwelcome but friendly breeze flowed through the open window. But this breeze was more a nuisance to Michael. He wished he could contact KITT and considered jumping from the window. His eyes caught sight of something black resting on the ground under the seat. He picked up his communicator and whispered, "KITT! Talk to me!"

Their reunion was cut short by the sound of gunshots circulating throughout the estate, ringing in his ears. Michael demanded, "Where did those come from, KITT?"

KITT reported regretfully, "From the other side of the property, Michael, where Patrick has been keeping Selena."

Michael said, "The study is over there?"

KITT confirmed, "Yes, Michael!"

"OK, Buddy, get over here and contact Devon!" When it was clear, Michael jumped to safety inside KITT. Michael hid beneath KITT's darkened windows as KITT moved back to the garage.

Patrick finished his packing by pulling a bank bag and everything else from a safe inside the wall behind the desk. He locked his briefcase and carried it towards the double doors. Cracking one of the double doors, He called for a couple of his men to come in and help him. He returned to Selena's side and said, "Selena, you can get up now." He helped her to rise out of her chair.

Selena looked up at him blankly, nodded, and let him pick her up. The two guards entered the room. Clutching her purse, a desperate idea began forming in her mind. Patrick requested, "Escort My Toy to the car."

The dark haired guard agreed and proceeded to take Selena's arm and she tried to walk. Her legs refused to cooperate and he caught her elbow preventing her from falling to the ground. Together they walked outside.

Michael did not want to be seen in his car by anyone including Selena. He did not know about the game Patrick had played on Selena's mind. He heard someone coming towards him and looked out to see Patrick and his guards escorting a lifeless, shell-shocked Selena out to Patrick's limousine.

Seeing KITT Selena became hysterical, breaking away from her guard. She ran to KITT, caught her breath, and wept, "You can't have it all, Patrick! I won't let you!" As if protecting a child Selena embraced the driver's side door, caressing KITT to comfort him for losing his best friend. She laid her head back and yelled, enforcing each word by pounding it with her fist into KITT's body, "You don't even care that you butchered Michael just for this bucket of computer chips! What is worse is that you used me to help you!" She sank against KITT, "If only I had listened to Michael in the first place! Jasmine and Tina would be safe and Michael wouldn't be..." She gathered her courage, "You are not getting this prize!"

Michael ducked in the backseat and told KITT to open his door. KITT tried to get Selena's attention, "Get in! Selena, Michael..."

Selena took a brief look inside at KITT's computerized dashboard. She touched the driver's seat longingly and then ordered, "KITT, get out of here! That is an order!" 

KITT countered, "But Michael..."

Selena's tears fell down her cheeks again and she yelled, "Michael is dead! Now go find Devon!" She slammed his door closed and banged on his hood. Two of Patrick's guards dragged her away before KITT could reopen the doors and Michael could pull her to safety. She yelled at KITT, "Get out of here!" 

She was shoved into Patrick who slapped her across her face. He picked her up from the ground where she had landed. He took a handkerchief from his jacket's pocket and used it to silence her. He tied the white cotton cloth tightly over her mouth. Then he said something into her ear while withdrawing a pair of handcuffs from the bag he carried. Selena's eyes showed her terror at the item. Michael was forced to watch Patrick regain control of his puppet's strings. 

When Selena docilely gave Patrick her wrists allowing him to restrain her with the heavy metal bands, KITT begged, "Michael."

"I see her. We can't do anything yet, pal. It is too dangerous," informed Michael sadly. He continued to watch the numb and passive woman as she was put into the limousine. Then the car and its passengers disappeared out of the gate, fast on their way to the docks. Giving Patrick's car a head start Michael slipped back into KITT's driver's seat and contacted Devon, who was already on the way there. Michael commented to KITT after Devon hung up, "We're really in deep trouble this time, KITT."


	7. Trapping Knight ch7 The End

Knight Rider 2010

Trapping Knight With A Queen

Written by  
Ldydeb  
Chapter Seven

Within minutes...minutes too late, The Judson Mansion was over run with police cars and armed men walking over the grounds. Devon met Michael by KITT. He informed, "Most of Judson's men here have been taken into custody, Michael. The authorities should not have trouble in surprising them at the docks."

"There is a problem, Devon," warned Michael, "Judson somehow convinced..."

A police officer came jogging around calling over Michael's voice, "Mr. Miles, would you come with me? We've found something you should see."

Devon and Michael followed the officer to the place in front of the study's window, where Patrick's little play was performed. The officer showed them what he had found and explained, "It looks like a body lying in the bottom of this pit. Those two guys in that car were trying to bury it when we got here."

Michael concluded, "That's how he...Devon, That is what I've been trying to tell you. Judson has convinced Selena that I am dead...he killed me in front of her. This was how he did it!"

Devon remarked, "Oh my god. How was she handling it? I know when she left me, she wasn't in a very stable frame of mind."

Michael answered, "She's ready to have a nervous breakdown, Devon. She blew up hysterically and then that monster took over and got her to go with him without a fight."

Devon suggested, "Michael, please let the authorities take care of this from now on."

Michael replied, "If I don't do something, those girls won't be coming out of there alive."

Devon asked, "What do you want to do about it?"

Michael became stubborn and argued, "I'm going, Devon. Judson is trying to drive Selena insane and succeeding. How can she comfort her sisters if she's not able to help herself?"

Devon agreed, "All right, Michael." He walked with Michael back to KITT and added, "The authorities are already on their way.  Cooperate with them."

Michael conceded, "Just let me get Jasmine and Tina out of there. She was right, Devon.  We did fail and let that Bastard force her to act. I can't let them be pawns in his crazy game anymore."

"I'll see what I can do." Michael entered KITT as Devon continued, "She is a strong woman, Michael. She will be all right."

"If he doesn't kill her first," Michael ignited KITT and took off for the pier.

With Michael on the way, Patrick escorted Selena down the pier to where his yacht was docked waiting for them. His friend Lenox met them just before they boarded. He reported, "The merchandise is on the boat in the cargo hold."

Patrick asked, "Is any of it operational? We may need it." He wanted to be prepared in the event that Knight escaped.

Lenox replied, "Everything is operational except the laser and one of the missile launchers. Someone made sure that none of the important products were functional." His eyes fell to the docile Selena standing with her head down next to Patrick who held the chain of the cuffs that bound her hands. Her mouth was still stuffed with the piece of cloth.

Patrick asked, "How much extra ammunition do we have?"

Lenox assured, "Enough, Patrick, I promise. What about the car, when will it be here?"

Patrick replied, "As soon as that other problem is taken care of."

Lenox again looked at Selena and demanded, "What about her?" 

Patrick pulled on the chain and asked, "What about her?"

Lenox accused, "She just about blew this whole job. Major Thomas tried to have me arrested on the base."

Patrick stroked her hair as he replied calmly, "I told you I would take care of her. See, she will be a good girl for us." He got her to look at him. He lifted her chin and asked, "Will you be quiet if I take this uncomfortable thing from your beautiful mouth." She nodded and opened grateful to have the hateful piece of cotton out from between her teeth. Patrick threw his briefcase to Lenox as he said, "Carry this. I am going to escort our guest onto the boat. Don't you think she will be a nice diversion for both of us on the way to the auction?" The two men laughed as Selena passively walked over the plank to the yacht. Patrick directed Lenox to the main cabin. He pulled the handcuffs up and put the key into the lock of the first one. He spoke while removing the second, "Selena, pull yourself together. You will be seeing your sisters again very soon. They don't need to be alarmed." 

Selena nodded rubbing her wrists ignoring the small stains of blood from her old wounds being reopened. She tried to smile. One of the guards inside greeted them at the cabin's door. Patrick told Selena to sit down until her sisters were brought out. She saw Tina come through the gangway first. The little girl reached for her big sister's protective embrace. Tina and Jasmine had only been allowed to talk to each other when they were brought to the mansion the day before and through the wall that separated their rooms. Selena knew their imprisonment had been rough on them, especially since they had no idea what was going on. But they were alive and that helped to build a little hope in Selena. Jasmine entered into Selena's embrace, a million questions in her eyes. Selena brushed over her questioning gaze and whispered, "You two OK?"

Jasmine answered, "Yes, Sal, but..." Jasmine reached up to touch Selena's eye, then examined her wrists.

Selena hugged her again and said into her ear, "Not now, Jazz. We do not have time. Please try not to be afraid. No matter what happens remember I love you!"

Jasmine took a breath of courage from her big sister and she smiled at Selena, "You can count on us."

Patrick coldly interrupted their reunion, "We need to get moving. Selena, keep them out of my sight."

Tina asked, "I thought we were going home?"

Selena hugged Tina and said, "Not now, Dolly."

Jasmine did not want to scare Tina but she could see that Selena was not going to be much help. Jasmine whispered, "You need to be quiet, Tina."

Lenox suspiciously watched Selena talking with her sisters. He noticed that Selena was beginning to come out of her stupor. The last thing they needed was more trouble from her. He mentioned his concerns to Patrick who ordered Jasmine and Tina taken back to their staterooms. When Selena rose to go with them, Patrick called her to come to him. He ordered her to stay with him and seeing she was about to argue with him, he warned, "My Toy, I will deal with you when the time comes, just like I dealt with your Knight. Now do as I tell you."

From the pain that swept across Selena's features Jasmine understood what Patrick had referred to. Jasmine quieted Tina's complaint about being locked up again and got her to think of it as a game. Jasmine's strength and understanding gave Selena the boost she needed. She realized her sister was dealing with the situation better than she was. She knew what she needed to do to get her sisters off the boat before it left the docks and she could not do it with her sisters present. She conceded, "You win, Patrick. Girls, do as Mr. Judson tells you."

Patrick smiled, thinking he had won another victory as Tina and Jasmine were led away. Selena had a different view of the battle. She patted the gun in her purse, as she thought of a plan.

While she was thinking about a way out, Michael was in the process of rescuing them. Entering the instructions, Michael ordered KITT to cut power from all security systems and engines. Then KITT put up a diagram of the inside of the yacht. Red dots appeared, indicating where all the people were located on the boat. Michael decided, "Lets get the girls out of there first. KITT, where would be the best place to go in?"

KITT announced, "Capt. Burns wants to speak to you, Michael."

Capt. Burn's voice reported, "Knight, I'm giving you five minutes to rescue the hostages, then we're taking over."

Michael conceded, "OK, just stay out of sight until then. KITT, watch out for me."

Getting on the deck, without being noticed was easier then getting into the cabin. KITT had to unlock three computerized locks before he could get in. Through trial and error, Michael figured out where Jasmine and Tina were. After tapping on a few doors below, he was about to give up when a voice came from inside the fourth door, "What do you want?"

Michael whispered, "Jasmine? Tina?"

Jasmine sassed, "Leave me a lone!   I don't want anymore to sleep anymore!"

Michael persisted, "Jazz! I'm a friend!"

From behind the next door, Tina shouted, "Michael! You've come to pick us up! I told you he'd be here, Jazz!"

Michael laughed at Tina's enthusiasm and was very blessed to hear their voices. He asked, however, "Please be quiet, Tina. Do you have windows in your rooms?"

They answered together, "Yes."

Michael replied, "Good. Where is Selena?"

Jasmine answered, "With those creeps in the main cabin."

Michael promised, "OK, I need you both to remain quiet and not tell anyone I was here. I promise I will be back to get you. Do you both understand?" When they agreed He exited the corridor just before one of the guards came through. Outside, Michael called for KITT to come closer to the edge of the dock. He then told Jasmine and Tina to stand by their doors, so he could break the windows. After both windows were busted out, he pulled them through the opened windows. Michael snuggled both girls against him in relief.  He felt Jasmine's hot tears on his neck.  He gently cupped the area behind her ear and looked into her eyes.  He promised, "You're safe, Jasmine!  Please don't cry."  He kissed her forehead like a father to his daughter.  His heart sank as he noticed blood staining his hand.  He realized it was from Jasmine's neck.  He wanted  to comfort her, let her vent her emotions, tell him what had happened.  But the police surrounded the docks reminding him that Selena was still a prisoner.  Michael escorted Jasmine and Tina to Captain Burn and requested, "Take care of these two precious gems, Captain!  They need immediate medical attention."

Selena had disappeared inside herself not caring about what was going on around her until Patrick's crew became agitated. Lenox ordered an armed guard be placed next to her. Patrick and Lenox's frantic collecting of their precious secrets, talking, and planning again puzzled her. Patrick ordered, "Bring those children up here. We'll need everything we have."

Jumping up, Selena demanded, "Why, What is wrong?"

Lenox unintentionally answered her, "Patrick, the cops are outside. We have to do something."

Patrick confidently answered, "We'll be able to leave as soon as the engines get going...they can't stop us then."

The guard sent to get Selena's sisters returned reporting, "Pat, they are gone! The windows were broken out."

Selena's hope and courage were rekindled. Patrick had been ignoring her, believing her defeated. She took the opportunity offered by the commotion around him to withdraw the gun from her purse and ordered, "The only place you are going, Patrick, is to jail!" Relieving her guard of his gun, she ordered, "Unless one of you wants a bullet, I suggest y'all drop your guns out into the water...out through that window!" She pointed to a window she knew went directly out to the water.

Patrick dared, slowly closing in on her, "Selena, My Toy, put the gun down. You have nothing to worry about, the game is over...I give up. Besides you could never shoot anyone."

Selena pointed the gun at his head, her aim dead on, and threatened, "Try me! You've seen me use this! You know just how good my aim is!"

Patrick challenged, "Then shoot me!" Thinking she wouldn't, he approached her with his arms open and non-offensive. 

Selena however was not bluffing. She fired a warning shot to cover up her nervousness. Though she was terrified, she refused to let them see it. She did know one thing, Patrick was wrong...she could kill him if he made her do it! She would try to hold them off as long as possible so the cops could get inside. She held her captors at bay wishing those cops would get their "butts" together and rescue her! To keep herself prepared to shoot Patrick, she kept telling herself she was doing it for Michael. All her thoughts shifted to making all of Patrick's men pay for Michael's death.

Patrick ducked when a second shot was directed at him from her hand. He stood before her but did not make any more attempts to stop her. He watched for signs of her losing control of her sanity again.

Selena raised the gun again and ordered; "Now...everyone of you, throw your guns out that window and into the water!"

Patrick nodded and each of his men, including Lenox threw their weapons into the harbor, the sound of them crashing into the water satisfying Selena. She felt another panic attack coming on from having to wait on the cops, but did not let them see it.

There was a noise outside as one of the crew came through the door to announce that the engines were dead. The crewman distracted Selena's attention long enough to give Patrick time to attack her and force the gun from her hands. Lenox was about to join them but the cops came through the cabin door and yelled for everyone to freeze. Patrick kept Selena's gun pointed into her ribs and twisted her arm painfully behind her back. He then placed the gun to her temple and got the cops' entering the cabin attention. He warned them that he would kill his hostage if they so much as breathed. He backed out dragging Selena with him. Patrick noticed Michael coming towards the cabin and made Selena go in the opposite direction. They moved down the steps over to the water. He ordered, "Get in! Quietly!"

Selena loudly charged, "what! Are you crazy?"

Patrick grabbed a handful of her hair and ordered, "Shut-up and do what I said! They won't figure out that we swam for it until it is too late!"

She pleaded, "Please let me go! You don't need me anymore!"

Patrick refused, "Do you really think I'd let you go now! You are the reason I am losing the game! Having you as my consolation prize will make up for those losses! So if you do not want to die! Get into that water!"

Before she could protest again, he pushed her into the water and then jumped in next to her, causing a small splash. KITT picked up the sound of the water's disturbance and tried to let Michael know, but he was preoccupied trying to unlock the cabin door where Patrick trapped the people inside. Patrick was swimming and pulling a half-swimming, half-drowning because of his pulling, Selena to the beginning of the pier. That swim became the longest and most difficult in Selena's life. She used all her energy just to stay above water and swim at the same time. She tried to keep up with his "faster...faster..." and then the pulling that almost caused her to drown. It was no surprise when they reached Patrick's destination that she could not breathe.

After her botched performance on the yacht, she realized, somewhere in her rational mind that she had to be on guard. She knew Patrick wanted her to be insecure and unsure of what was going to happen to her. He wanted to drive her crazy...creating a realm of total confusion. His anger toward her and the thought of losing inspired a streak of revenge that he would release on her when the time was right. It was hard for him to control himself until that time, so he satisfied himself with the thought that he would take her as his consolation prize; then he would let go and would kill her slowly and easily; taking pleasure in his revenge. All he would have to do would be to watch her die after he was through with her. Then he would go after Michael Knight! His twisted mind began plotting, thinking of ways to make Michael Knight watch Selena die too. He watched his former girlfriend and convinced himself that getting rid of them would solve many of his problems.

Feeling his chilling gaze, Selena sat uneasily on the dock trying to catch her breath and regain some of her strength, which had been spent pulling her aching body from the water. Now, sitting there with her hair matted to her back in scraggly sections, her skirt wrapping itself around her legs, and her blouse sticking to her body; she wondered if she could go on. Time seemed to be taking an eternity to pass. As if to twist the knife, Patrick grabbed a hold of her shoulder and ordered, "Get up!" He dragged her to a standing position.

"Ouch! Let me go! You're hurting me!" she cried. He had a very tight squeeze on her already bruised left arm and every time he made a point, his grip became tighter.

Patrick barked, "Come on!"

Out of nowhere, a familiar voice commanded, "Let her go!"

Patrick and Selena faced the direction of the voice, but only a shiny ebony car was blocking their way. Selena breathed, "KITT!" almost too loudly.

Patrick asked, "What's that doing here? You didn't..." He pulled Selena around to face him.

"No, Patrick, I swear!" She pleaded, "I told you there is no way to communicate with the car unless you're inside of it."

Patrick demanded, "Get rid of it!" He figured that since the car was here, his owner was not far behind.

Selena tried, "KITT, I'm all right. Go back to the Foundation!"

Patrick tried to move, but KITT refused to let them pass. He thought that Michael was inside, preventing them from getting away. He warned, "Get your car away from me...don't you know how to follow orders!"

Selena mumbled, "I told you sometimes it has a mind of its own." Patrick backhanded her mouth in retaliation for her remark. He held her against him, pulled the revolver from his belt, and jabbed it into her ribcage. Selena did her best not to scream out in pain. KITT noticed the gun but refused to let them go; hoping that Michael or the cops would be there soon.

Meanwhile, Michael found out that Patrick had disappeared with Selena and that KITT had disappeared. He listened in on the situation until he could get close enough to see for himself. Waiting behind a nearby yacht, he listened to KITT's failed attempt to rescue Selena. Patrick remembered that the car had the ability to completely shut itself down. Using that knowledge, he threatened, "Now 'KITT' or whatever Selena called you! Since you refuse to leave, shut down completely or that spotless body of yours is going to have this beautiful body splattered all over it! Get my message!"

Selena begged in pain, "Go away, KITT, please?"

The hopelessness in her voice reached Michael. He knew that he could not confront Patrick even though it angered him that he was thwarted again. Patrick must believe he has won again. Michael spoke into his wrist, "Back off, buddy. We'll get him later."

KITT did as instructed. Triumphant Patrick led Selena past KITT to Lenox's blue Viper. Opening up the passenger side, He threw Selena to sit in the seat. He opened the glove box and pulled out several huge handkerchiefs from the stash Lenox kept there. He grabbed both of Selena's hands and over her protests, wrapped the cloth around her wrists until they were bound together tightly in her lap. He then strapped the seatbelt over her lap and locked the door. He entered the driver's side and raced away.

Michael, who had been staying out of sight ran to KITT and raced to catch up with Patrick. Selena stretched around to see, as she figured, KITT was following behind refusing to give up. The cars whipped around curbs, corners, and other cars, refusing to let the other give in. The chase resulted in two accidents. Far behind the cops followed them, keeping far enough away to allow Michael room to catch Patrick. Capt Burns set up roadblocks to slow them down; but that did not work. Patrick escaped the area down an unguarded path, which headed up into the mountains. KITT suggested, "What about using the micro-jam?"

Michael refused, "Can't KITT, he'd kill her before I could get to the car." Without warning, Patrick made another sharp turn and tried to stop Michael by causing a multi-car collision. KITT flew over the pile and radioed for emergency people while continuing the pursuit. KITT challenged, "Then what do you want to do, Michael?"

Michael answered, "Let's back off a little buddy, and give him some space to breathe. I want him, but not at the expense of hurting someone else. Put a tracer on his bumper so we don't lose him."

Inside the Viper, Selena tried to hold on, but it was difficult with her hands bound together. Then KITT shoved them forward, hitting the bumper. Selena shielded herself from landing on the dashboard and windshield. Patrick spat, "What is it with that guy!"

Selena charged spitefully, "It wants revenge, Patrick. It'll never let you go now!"

Patrick remarked cruelly, "It isn't worth it, My Toy, don't push me! I'm the one who gets the satisfaction of revenge!"

Selena begged hotly, "Then do it! Patrick! Kill me and get it over with!"

He reached over and patted her hands, "Oh that would be too easy for you, My Toy! But don't worry, you will be grateful to die when I'm through with you." He looked into his rearview mirror and asked, "Selena, can that car trace me everywhere I go in this car?"

Thinking quickly she responded, "It will chase you as long as you have me with you. So why don't you just let me go...right here. By the time I'm able to walk back to the city, you will be in Mexico, out of reach from everyone!"

Patrick applauded, "Nice try, but as long as I have you, the cops will stay away. I might even take you to Mexico with me. Then who knows...maybe..." he caressed her hair, trying to play with her mind; letting his plans to take revenge on her sink deeply in...hoping to make her hopeless, submissive, "We will discuss that later," he sneered.

Desperate to get away from him, Selena took her hands and blasted him in the shoulder, causing him to lose control of the car for a moment. Then she began fighting to get out, trying to undo the seatbelt and to unlock the door so she could get it open and jump whether it was moving or not. Patrick stopped the car and pulled Selena away from the door. She was becoming hysterical, screaming for him to kill her or let her go but to get it over with! He grabbed her by her hair, shoved one of the handkerchiefs in it, and then smacked her across the jaw. An eerie quiet filled the car as Selena stared angrily back at him. Patrick remained perfectly calm as he warned, "My Toy, you must behave yourself; and you will or..."

Selena spit the cloth from her mouth and countered, "Or what? You will shoot me? Big deal! I have been living with that since we started! So do it! I want you to!"

Patrick decided not to answer her challenge right away. Instead, he smiled, got out of the car, and walked around to Selena's side of the car. Throwing open the door, he undid her seatbelt and pulled her out of the car by her arms. He dragged her to the edge of the road, which loomed dangerously over the side of the mountain. The cliff sloped down to a ledge beneath it; and below the ledge, the green valley spread out, surrounding the mountain pass. On the top, Patrick positioned Selena in front of him and held her tightly, making her look out over the mountain. He whispered, "Selena, what do you see?"

She was now terrified. She whispered, "Nothing."

He pointed out the ledge and then he kicked a rock off the road to demonstrate how high up they were. He said, "Now you know I don't want to do this, Selena. I would like to take you to Mexico with me where we will have such a beautiful adventure together. But if you don't stop messing things up (His voice changed from soft and soothing to threatening and abusive to return her to the fragile state of mind he had driven her to before. He liked it better when she was terrified of him.) I will take great pleasure in pushing you off this road! No one will ever know what happened to you. Your sisters will be left alone for anyone to come to take them away. So what will it be?"

Coming around the curve, Michael was forced to slow down so that Patrick would not see him. KITT asked, "Why are we stopping here?"

Michael explained, "Because they are too close to the edge. I want to surprise him, but I don't want Selena being pushed off the road." He opened his car door and ordered, "Stay close, KITT!"

KITT was bewildered, "You're not walking out there in the open, Michael? What are you planning?"

Michael answered, closing the door, "I don't have any plan yet, KITT. But I have to let Selena know I am alive it will give her strength."

KITT commented, "That's great, Michael. How will you help her once you let her know?"

Michel promised, "Don't worry, KITT, I'll handle it! This way I'm prepared for anything." He walked a head of KITT saying, "Wait for me to call, buddy, make sure he doesn't get away again!" He waited for the right moment just beyond Patrick's car. 

Then sneaking around the car, he stood up just as Patrick was about to help Selena get back into the car. He heard Patrick say, "We are going to get along just fine now, Selena, just as we planned."

Michael spoke up, "Going somewhere?"

Not believing what she heard, Selena slowly turned her head to see Michael standing by the trunk of the car in perfect condition. She called out, "Michael?" Then she looked at Patrick and asked, "But he's dead...I thought...I mean, I watched you...you kill him!"

Patrick held her chin, making her look into his eyes. "He is dead, Selena. I don't see anything. It is just your imagination. Do not look at him he will go away. Trust me."

Michael called again, "Selena, look at me."

Patrick kept her confused while trying to get away from Michael. He grabbed the gun and pulled Selena around, holding her against him as a shield, throwing out orders, "Get out, Knight. I am taking her with me until I get far enough away. Don't spoil my secret." Michael hesitated, trying to get Selena to recognize him and stall. Patrick stepped back toward the edge of the curve, facing the ledge and dragged Selena with him. Looking down again, he decided to use the same threat on Michael. He added, "Or would you rather she disappeared down the ledge?"

Michael pushed, "Give it up, Judson, just let her go. You won't get away with this!"

Patrick turned it around, "Oh I beg to differ, Knight. As long as I have this pretty prisoner to torture and use, you and everyone else will stay far away from me. But if you push me I will let her drop down this mountain...to die..." he pushed Selena closer to the edge and challenged, "Come on, Knight, watch me! All she has to do is trip on a rock and, OOOPS! Over she goes!"

Selena started to realize what she was seeing was real! Michael was alive! She looked at him with tears, hoping he would stay back. Michael went forward, but Patrick fired at him and warned, "Stay back, Knight, or your death will be real and so will hers!"

With his attention focused on Michael, he let up on his grip of Selena's arms. Gaining a little courage, she elbowed Patrick in the groin, knocked the gun out of his hand, and tried to run to Michael. Patrick was too fast for her grabbing her hair and pulling her back. Michael came after him and knocked him out of the way. Michael turned to get Selena out of the way, away from the edge of the road, but Patrick came back at Michael. Together they pushed Selena backwards; causing her to lose her footing and fall face down, her bound wrists unable to help her or to prevent her from slipping over the edge, where she tumbled down to the ledge below. As she fell, she cried out in pain and fear, the sound echoing throughout the valley and inside Michael's head where it would remain for a long time to come. Michael turned just as she slipped. He tried to reach out for her, calling her name, grabbing for her wrists. Then he helplessly watched her go over. In a split second, he was looking down at her lifeless body lying on her stomach with her arms under her and her head lying to the right.

Behind Michael, Patrick sneered, as he pulled himself up off the ground and got into his car, "You'd better worry about her for now, Knight. We will meet again to play new game!" He pulled away before Michael or KITT could stop him. Michael watched the disappearing car and promised that there would indeed be another time.

KITT told Michael that help was on the way and then they began the process of getting Selena to safety. Michael requested, "KITT, do you think you could drive down there?"

KITT surveyed the path and said, "No, Michael, you'll have to climb down. Be careful the ground is very shaky."

Michael went around to KITT's trunk and pulled out a bundle of rope and a wool Indian blanket. He threw the rope down and tied the end off on KITT's rear bumper. He then had KITT cast down the line extending from under the back fender. He began partially walking, partially climbing down with KITT and the rope guiding and protecting his every step. On the bottom, he gently turned Selena over. He tenderly removed the cloth binding her wrists. Her hands were scratched, her wrists a mass of bruises, deep cuts and blood everywhere. He cradled her in his arms. He took the handkerchief and wiped the blood from the gash that appeared from the rock that she had hit her head on when she landed.

From above, KITT informed him that the paramedics had arrived. A man called from the road above and told him that they were going to send down a litter to bring Selena safely back up. KITT pulled up his line, the medic hooked it to the litter, and then KITT sent it back down. Michael laid Selena into the litter and strapped her in securely. She stirred in his arms, her face contorting with pain, her lips pursing together trying to moisten them with her tongue. She coughed, drops of blood appearing on her lips. Michael slowed down his pace, leaning over her to sooth her hair, speak to her his loving-kindness. He grabbed the other rope; used it and the rocks as a ladder, as he safely and slowly guided Selena up to the road above. His heart skipped a beat and he forgot to breath each time the litter hit a rough spot and Selena's voice echoed into his ears her anguish, her pain. She was still unconscious but feeling every bounce, every pinch and then thrashing around slightly inside the litter. Michael had to stop several times to get her to calm down.

Both medics were standing by waiting to grab the litter as soon as it reached the top. He gently pulled it to the road and rested it on the ground. The Medics tried to take over Selena's care. But Michael refused, grabbing a medical bag from one of them. Michael began to clean up Selena's wounds. The first Medic began preparing her to be transported to the hospital in the ambulance. Not wanting to fight with him, the other medic helped Michael until Devon arrived with Captain Burns. Michael finally allowed the Medics to take over Selena's care. He went over to the ambulance to report what had happened and wait with Devon until the medics were ready. The medics carried the litter Selena lay in towards the ambulance. One of them tripped. Both Devon and Michael rushed forward to prevent them from dropping Selena to the ground. From the litter a quiet cry drifted to their ears. Michael and Devon got in with Selena. Drifting to consciousness, Selena reached for Michael's hand and sighed, "Don't leave me, Michael. Please forgive me."

Michael caressed her cheek and held her hand, gently showering it with tender kisses. He smiled into her weak eyes, "I am here for as long as you need me, Selena. It is over! You are safe!"

Selena whispered worriedly, "Am I?" her voice barely audible. Then she drifted back to sleep.

Several weeks later, Michael returned from a fruitless trip to find Patrick Judson. Upon his return, he went straight to the hospital, carrying a dozen long-stemmed red roses, and heading up to the floor where Devon had told him Selena had a room. What Devon had neglected to tell him was the extent of Selena's injuries as a result of the fall and Patrick's mental abuse. Devon met Michael outside of the elevator on the floor of Selena's room. From the reports Michael had been getting on the road, he thought she was doing very well. Now Devon had to tell him the truth.

Devon led Michael to a nearby waiting room where he explained that since the accident Selena had slipped into a coma shortly after Michael left for Mexico. She had been unconscious for days. An MRI had revealed a small blood clot on the right side where the rock had hit her. The doctors were forced to remove it through surgery. Michael was now worried but he patiently listened as Devon continued. He found out that when Selena did come out of the coma, she could not remember anything about what had happened to her. She was now going through tests to see how soon therapy could begin to restore her memory, if it could be done. The doctors feared that her traumatic experiences that resulted in the accident, plus the fear of remembering Patrick might have caused irreversible memory loss.

Michael was sorry about her memory, but somehow he felt it might be for the best. He asked about her other injuries and Devon informed him that she has to relearn to walk with the help of crutches until her legs are completely healed. Michael thanked Devon for preparing him, but now he wanted to see her. Devon blurted, "You can't Michael." Devon then explained that the doctors did not want Michael to try to see her just yet. They were afraid that having witnessed his faked death would bring back her trauma too fast and the memories too fast for them to deal with all at once.

Michael surmised, "You mean the sight of me could cause her to have a nervous breakdown, right?"

Devon tried to explain that her mental state was still very fragile. Michael let the roses fall to the seat beside him. Seeing her again had kept him going. At that moment, without warning, the sound of crutches scraping against the floor was coming around the corner. Selena appeared talking with Bonnie and being helped by a nurse. She was smiling and laughing at the crutches and begging the nurse to let her do it for herself. She was dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a hospital shirt.

Her eyes looked up and she saw Devon talking to a dark-haired man with some flowers dangling carelessly from his hands. Michael smiled, but Devon prevented him from going to her. Instead, before Bonnie or the nurse could stop her, Selena hobbled over and asked, "Devon, aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" Then she looked at him again and smiled, "Wait, I know you. You rescued me in the rain once? Right?"

Michael smiled with relief to see Selena fighting to get what she wants. Selena was going to be fine! Patrick had lost after all. Devon introduced them and they helped her back to her room.

THE END!


End file.
